September 2019 Connections

Connections read • share • inspire September 2019

Issue 5 Vol. 6

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in and outside the diocese I’m pleased that this edition of Connections is devoted to exploring who does what to move the mission of the diocese forward. Earlier this summer, as I was thinking about how I might contribute to this project, it occurred to me that I might say a little about aspects of my own ministry that regularly take me outside of Southern Ohio. One of these is my membership in the House of Bishops.

As you know, The Episcopal Church is governed by General Convention, a bicameral body that meets every three years. The House of Deputies is made up of clergy and laity elected from each diocese. The other chamber is the House of Bishops. Every Episcopal bishop, whether active or retired, has seat, voice and vote in it.

Obviously, the bishops play an important role, along with the deputies, in the legislative work of General Convention. But unlike the deputies, the bishops gather twice a year between General Conventions. This is because our work extends beyond legislation. At our best, we provide a collective teaching ministry, and because we are a relatively small body, we are able to develop relationships of trust and respectful challenge that bridge the geographical, liturgical, economic and cultural divides that are part of our church.

This is not to say that we don’t also continue to share equally with deputies and other leaders on specific areas requiring the church’s ongoing attention. We do. Most bishops are assigned to at least one so-called “interim body” tasked to help ensure that the decisions made

by General Convention are carried out. For instance, I served a term on the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music, which developed a way forward for the church to tackle the complex and thorny question of Prayer Book revision. Other interim bodies focus on such areas as budget, ongoing review of canon law, and ecumenical relations.

Right now, the House of Bishops is chiefly on my mind, because we are gathering in mid-September for our fall meeting, taking place this year in Minneapolis. It is especially on my mind because a committee I chair is initiating and leading a general discussion of an emotionally-laden and painful subject, namely, the ideology of white supremacy.

To back up a little: the group making this presentation is the House of Bishops Theology Committee, appointed by and reporting directly to the Presiding Bishop. Its charter is to provide the bishops with theological resources for their pastoral and teaching ministry across a range of questions relating to faith and ethics. This committee is made up of eight bishops and seven academic theologians, and I find it a great privilege to be part of it. When Presiding Bishop Curry called the Episcopal Church to deep engagement with Becoming Beloved Community, the theology committee decided to make this its focus for the foreseeable future.

We soon realized that we could not proceed with integrity unless we faced the vicious ideology of white supremacy and invited the House as a whole to join us in doing this. I have just submitted to the Presiding Bishop a fairly lengthy report on our work so far, each section authored by different members of the committee. This report will be sent to every bishop and will form the basis for our discussion in Minneapolis. Please hold this ongoing process of truthtelling in your prayers, not only as it unfolds among your bishops, but as we pursue it here at home.

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal serves as Bishop of the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with him at tbreidenthal@diosohio.org.

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with the bishops Bishop Breidenthal was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, the son of the late Leslie T. and Ruth Veach Breidenthal. He was raised in Europe and the Midwest until his family settled in Eugene, Oregon. He attended high school as a theater major at the Interlochen Arts Academy, then went on to earn a B.A. from Portland State University and an M.A. in English Literature from the University of Victoria. He received his M.Div. from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in 1981.

Ordained a deacon in 1981 and a priest in 1982, he has pastored or assisted congregations in Oregon, Oxford, England and New York, as well as serving as a high school chaplain. He studied at Oxford University as an Episcopal Church Foundation Fellow, where he received a PhD. in theology. From 1992 through 2001 he was the John Henry Hobart Professor of Christian Ethics and Moral Theology at The General Theological Seminary in New York City. He then served as Dean of Religious Life and of the Chapel at Princeton University from 2002 to 2007.

He was elected ninth bishop of Southern Ohio in November 2006 and consecrated on April 28, 2007.

The Rt. Rev. Kenneth L. Price, Jr. Assisting Bishop

kprice@diosohio.org

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The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal Bishop Diocesan tbreidenthal@diosohio.org

Ordinary:

An ancient term used to refer to a diocesan bishop Bishop Price was born in Charleston, West Virginia, and received a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University in 1965, a Master of Divinity degree from the General Theological Seminary in New York in 1968, a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Marshall University in 1974 and an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from General in 1995. He was ordained a deacon and priest in West Virginia in 1968 and served in that diocese for 26 years, as a curate, a vicar, a college chaplain at Marshall University (which included the time of the Marshall airplane crash), and as a rector ten years in Parkersburg and ten years in Wheeling.

Bishop Price was elected Bishop Suffragan of Southern Ohio in 1994 and oversaw an auxiliary office (The Bishop's Center) in Columbus for eighteen years. In 2009 he was elected Bishop

Provisional of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and moved there while continuing to serve part-time as suffragan in Southern Ohio. (In 2008 the then-bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh defected to the Anglican Church in North America, taking half of the congregations and two thirds of the clergy in the diocese with him. Bishop Price’s task was to rebuild the diocese, recruit and ordain more clergy, rebuild fellowship and trust and work with dedicated laity, many who were new to leadership positions.)

In 2012 he retired from both positions and he and his wife returned to their home in Hilliard, Ohio. In 2015 Bishop Breidenthal asked that he serve part time as an assisting bishop in Southern Ohio. In that capacity he makes 20+ visitations a year. 2019 marked his 25th year as a bishop.

An assistant bishop is appointed by the diocesan bishop, and their office ends when the ordinary who appointed them leaves office.

A suffragan bishop is a bishop who is assigned responsibilities to support a diocesan bishop. A suffragan bishop is elected by a convention but does not automatically succeed the diocesan bishop.

However, a suffragan’s office does continue in the diocese until he or she chooses to retire.

Bishop Rivera is one of three daughters born to a Puerto Rican father and an Anglo mother; her father, the late Rt. Rev. Victor Manuel Rivera, was third bishop of the Diocese of San Joaquin. Growing up in an English-speaking household, Bishop Rivera worked hard to become conversant in Spanish so she also could celebrate and preach in that language.

Bishop Rivera was elected as Bishop Suffragan of the Diocese of Olympia in 2004. She was elected as Provisional Bishop of Eastern Oregon at a special diocesan convention in May 2009, following the 2007 resignation of their bishop diocesan.

The Rt. Rev. Bavi Edna “Nedi” Rivera Assisting Bishop nrivera@diosohio.org

Bishop Rivera is the first Latina bishop and the 12th woman bishop in The Episcopal Church. Before she was elected Olympia’s first suffragan, she was rector for 10 years of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church, San Francisco. Ordained to the priesthood in 1979, Bishop Rivera has served parishes in both the Diocese of California and the Diocese of El Camino Real.

She earned an M.Div and a D.D. from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Calif.

After retiring to Cincinnati to be closer to family, Bishop Rivera accepted an invitation to serve as an assisting bishop in Southern Ohio in 2010.

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with the bishop's staff Sometimes referred to as the diocesan staff, the bishop’s staff works to connect available programs and resources to the congregations in the diocese.

The staff works at the Jane E. Procter Memorial Diocesan House, located on Sycamore Street in downtown Cincinnati, right next door to Christ Church Cathedral. The Diocesan House has been the principal offices of the bishop and staff since 1959.

The main number for the Diocesan House is 513.421.0311, or toll-free 800.582.1712.

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Executive staff Canon Lynn Carter-Edmands is in her eighth year as a member of the bishop’s staff. She has over 25 years of leadership experience as a priest in parish and diocesan ministry, including vocational discernment and mentoring, congregation and clergy transitions, formation and leadership development, and mediation and conflict transformation. She has served as the rector of two parishes and as a chaplain and teacher at a boy’s boarding preparatory school where she taught Bible, Ethics, and senior electives in religion.

Canon Lynn serves as the bishop’s liaison to • Diocesan Council • Standing Committee • Trustees of the Diocese • Commission on Ministry and ordination process • Examining Chaplains • Residency Program • School for Diaconal Formation • Episcopal Community Services Foundation (ECSF) • Province V Executive Board • Diocesan liturgies • Clergy concerns

The Rev. Canon Lynn Carter-Edmands Canon to the Ordinary lcarter-edmands@diosohio.org Ext. 102 513.632.6015 (direct) 614.947.9748 (mobile)

A canon is a member of the clergy (or less often, a lay person) on the staff of a cathedral or of a bishop A Canon to the Ordinary is a canon who is specific to the Bishop's office; a staff officer who performs tasks as assigned by the Ordinary

Carine deLange serves as Operations Executive for both the bishop’s staff as well as Christ Church Cathedral. This shared position was created in 2018 as part of a collaboration between the two organizations, to help both embrace more fully their shared mission, with a view to broadening their impact on the community.

Carine deLange Operations Executive cdelange@diosohio.org Ext. 108 513.632.6027 (direct) 513.405.3234 (mobile)

Carine also assists with the emergency preparedness process for both organizations and for the diocese as a whole. She has recently begun work to assist with widening the collaboration across the diocese.

Carine oversees the following departments for both organizations: • Administration • Communications • Facilities • Finance • Human Resources • Information Technology (IT) Carine also serves as the bishop's liaison to the Budget Committee, Advisory Committee on Compensation and Resources and the Finance Committee.

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David Dreisbach has been a member of St. Timothy's, Anderson Twp., since 2003. He has a bachelor’s degree in religion and a master’s degree in theology. The story of how he ended up in advertising is a long one; the short version is that he spent 20 years of his life in advertising, starting out as a copywriter and working his way to VP and Creative Director, all the while searching for a way to use his skills to fulfill a deeper purpose in life.

David Dreisbach Director of Communications

David jumped at the chance to leave corporate advertising to work for the diocese. His disparate background of religious studies and advertising suddenly made sense for the first time. He has been happily serving on the bishop's staff since June of 2013.

Among David’s responsibilities are: • All things digital • Web design • Print design • Marketing strategy • Marketing materials • Creative & art direction of Connections • Benchmarking with other communication programs • Point person for suggestions, complaints and ideas • Communication consulting with congregations

ddreisbach@diosohio.org Ext. 150 513.545.0184 (mobile)

fresh expression

A of church is a form of church for our changing culture, established primarily for the benefit of people who are not yet members of any church, which will come into being through principles of listening, service, incarnational mission and making disciples.

Canon Jane Gerdsen works to encourage new forms of Christian Community across the Diocese of Southern Ohio. From 2015-2018, she served as the chair of the Episcopal Church’s Advisory Group on Church Planting and Missional Initiatives. Jane is an International Coaching Federation trained coach and enjoys coaching individuals, churches, and mission teams, exploring new mission opportunities and navigating change in our churches and neighborhoods.

Jane is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Episcopal Divinity School. Prior to seminary, she was a Montessori teacher and worked as a Director of Religious Education. While in seminary, she interned with Ecclesia Ministries and was part of the Street Church community in Boston. After ordination she served for five years as the priest at the former St. Andrew’s, Dayton, before joining the bishop's staff. She is an honorary canon of Christ Church Cathedral and has also begun serving as the part-time priest-in-charge at All Saint’s, Pleasant Ridge.

In this position, Jane supports and oversees the following ministry areas:

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• • • • •

Church Planting Missional Engagement Young Adult Ministries Campus Ministry Latino Ministry

• • • •

Brendan’s Crossing/Episcopal Service Corps Praxis Communities Becoming Beloved Community Task Force Diocesan Big Read task group

The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen Missioner for Fresh Expressions and Praxis Communities jgerdsen@diosohio.org 513.543.0440 (mobile)

Canon Jason Leo has served as Canon for Transitions since June 2018 and as Missioner for Congregational Vitality since January 2016. Previously he served as the rector of Calvary Church, Clifton from 2000 to 2015, and was vicar of Trinity, London from 1998 to 2000. Jason began his ministry in Southern Ohio as the Director of the Summer Camping program and Youth Ministries in 1994.

The Rev. Canon Jason Leo Canon for Transitions and Congregational Vitality jleo@diosohio.org Ext. 125 513.379.2240 (mobile)

In his ministry as advocate for all congregations, Jason oversees • Clergy Leadership Transitions • Clergy transition resources • Assessment prior to transition of congregations • Congregations in conflict • Congregations shifting to part-time clergy presence, extended ministry or ELCA partnership (under Called to Common Mission) • Mutual Ministry Reviews • Parish Re-starts Jason also serves as the bishop’s liaison to the Commission on Congregational Life (COCL) and to the Procter Center Board.

Canon Lee Anne Reat serves as Canon for Formation and Social Justice Ministries.

She joined the bishop’s staff in 2018 after serving as vicar of St. John's, Columbus.

Ordained ministry experiences include work with marginalized populations, community organizing, using Asset Based Community Development, mentoring lay preachers and diaconal formation. Prior to ordination Canon Reat taught Early Childhood Education and directed an education policy organization.

Canon Reat is the bishop’s liaison for: • Licensed Lay Ministries • Lay Worship Leaders • Lay Preachers • Lay Eucharistic Ministers • Lay Eucharistic Visitors • Education for Ministry (EfM) • Anti-Racism Training • Safe Church Training • Clergy Days • Professional Development Grants • Faith in Life Grants • Fresh Start for clergy in new cures • Diocesan Learning Portal (www.dsolearning.org) • Global Mission initiatives • Social Justice Ministries, Education, and Advocacy

The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat Ph.D. Canon for Formation and Social Justice Ministries lareat@diosohio.org Ext. 104 614.214.4236 (mobile)

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David Robinson serves as the chief financial officer for the diocese and has served in that capacity since January 2010. His responsibilities include oversight of all diocesan financial operations including: diocesan budget; accounting operations; payroll and benefits, mission share review requests; church loan administration, endowments, investments, records retention, Treasurer’s workshop’s, Church Insurance, diocesan administrator for Church Pension Group, and corporate secretary to the Church Foundation, 412 Sycamore Inc., and the Trustees of the Diocese.

David serves as the bishop’s liaison to • Diocesan Council • Trustees of the Diocese • 412 Sycamore Inc • Church Foundation • Budget Committee • Finance Committee • Advisory Commission on Compensation and Resources • Procter Center Board

Tammie Vanoss Director of Information Technology tvanoss@diosohio.org Ext. 113 513.632.6020 (direct) 513.987.0650 (mobile)

drobinson@diosohio.org Ext. 114 513.632.6019 (direct)

As part of the collaboration with Christ Church Cathedral, Tammie Vanoss was named Director of Information Technology for both the bishop's staff and the cathedral staff in 2018. A member of the bishop's staff since 2015, Tammie brings her excitement for congregational development to churches as they explore the new technology frontier by assisting them with IT needs and app and website creation.

Tammie is a cradle Episcopalian who attended many Episcopal churches growing up during multiple moves stateside and overseas. She began database programming as a Department of Energy contractor at the Fernald site and moved on to develop software for companies such as Toyota, Dr. Pepper, P&G, and Eli Lilly.

Tammie's responsibilities include: • • • •

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David Robinson Chief Financial Officer

Website architecture/design Domain licensing/maintenance Office 365 licensing/administration End-user hardware and software

Support staff Giff Blaylock CPA, CFP, CMA, Controller/ Accounting Manager gblaylock@diosohio.org

In his part-time role, Giff Blaylock provides direction to the accounting operations, including payroll, accounts receivable, accounts payable and all other accounting processes. He first began in this role as an independent contractor in 2010, and officially joined the staff in July 2019.

Giff received his undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and an MBA in Accounting from Loyola College in Baltimore, MD. He has spent much of his 30-year accounting career assisting parishes, dioceses and clergy with tax and audit issues.

Some of Giff’s duties and responsibilities include: • Conduct the monthly close of all funds under supervision • Prepare internal accounting reports for each of 10 Diocesan divisions monthly or as needed • Monitor accounting processes including payroll, accounts receivable, accounts

payable, journal entries, cash receipts and donations • Assist in budget preparations and program grants/contracts • Coordinate annual audit preparation including consolidation of funds, building the

report with footnotes, and preparation of requested workpapers from the auditor • Assist in the IRS 990T preparation • Assist the CFO as needed

Angela Byrd has been a member of the bishop’s staff since January 2012. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Accounting from the University of Cincinnati. Her work background includes being a Revenue Agent for the IRS, many years working in general accounting, operations and medical billing.

Angela’s responsibilities include • Health insurance and benefits administration

• Medical, short- and long-term disability

• Pension

• Life insurance • Diocesan-wide payroll services • Annual church audits • Church treasurer/leadership changes

Angela Byrd

abyrd@diosohio.org Ext. 127 513.632.6022 (direct)

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Susan Byrnside serves as an Accountant in the Finance Department and has been a part of the bishop’s staff since 2013.

Susan Byrnside Accountant

Her responsibilities include: • Mission Share accounting/report generation • Church Loan administration • Investment accounting • Endowment management • Audit preparation • Other general accounting

sbyrnside@diosohio.org Ext. 112 513.632.6038 (direct)

Bill Macke has been an accounting consultant for the diocese since October 2017. Bill received his bachelor’s degree in accountancy, and an associate degree in Business Administration from Thomas More University. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration from Thomas More University, with an expected graduation date of March 2020.

Bill’s responsibilities include: • Accounts payable • Chart of account maintenance • Historical analysis of expenses • Reconciling corporate credit cards • Vendor communication

Sherri Martin Assistant Transitions Officer/Executive Assistant to the Canons smartin@diosohio.org Ext. 105 513.632.6017 (direct)

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Bill Macke Accountant bookkeeper@diosohio.org Ext. 115 513.632.6031 (direct)

Sherri Martin joined the bishop's staff in January 2017 and now serves as the Assistant Transitions Officer and as Executive Assistant to the Canons. She has 20+ years in the human resources as well as the administrative field. Her background includes various industries including advertising and marketing, healthcare and consumer goods.

Additionally, she does various youth activities for her church including Children in Action, a mission program geared towards boys and girls in grades 1 through 5.

Sherri's responsibilities include • Assistant Transitions Officer – A diocesan contact for regional search consultants, vestry and search as well as clergy discerning a new calling.

• Staff support for the following:

• Commission on Ministry

• Diocesan Council

• Canon to the Ordinary

• Canon for Formation and Racial Justice

• Dispatch of Business

• ACCR

Julie Murray Associate Director of Communications jmurray@diosohio.org Ext. 110 513.632.6011 (direct) 513.266.8396 (mobile)

Julie Murray has been a member of the bishop's staff since 2003, previously serving as receptionist and information specialist, bishop’s assistant and communications specialist. She has served as Associate Director of Communications since 2013.

Julie's responsibilities include • Editor of Connections and e-Connections • Database administration • Online registration forms • Calendar updates • Website content maintenance and design • Publications • Photography

Ann Sabo has served as Executive Assistant to Bishop Breidenthal since 2015.

She has over 25 years’ experience as an executive assistant in various industries that include software communication, clinical research and home organization.

Ann oversees and supports in the following areas: • • • • • • •

Ecclesiastical oversight Clergy License to Officiate Second Marriage Requests Letters Dimissory Letter of Endorsement Canonical Residency Appointments with Bishop

• Bishop’s annual

congregational visitations • Area Confirmations • Convention Secretary • Pre-Convention Hearings • Diocesan Event Coordination

Ann Sabo Executive Assistant to the Bishop asabo@diosohio.org Ext. 103 513.632.6018 (direct)

Ann also serves as the bishop's liaison for the Affirmative Aging Committee, Standing Committee, Lawrence Home Association and Clergy Daughter Tuition Fund.

Erick Williams Receptionist ewilliams@diosohio.org Ext. 100

Erick has been a member of the bishop’s staff since 2004.

Coming to the diocese from the cathedral staff, he started off as a maintenance worker but with his friendly voice and welcoming demeanor, he was approached about becoming the receptionist in early 2006. He has been known as the “Voice of the Diocese” ever since. During his tenure, Erick has worked alongside three bishops, several cathedral deans and loads of clergy. A people person, he loves talking and communicating with everyone who calls and visits. If you are ever feeling down and out, call Diocesan House – and Erick’s warm and friendly voice will perk you right up!

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WITH DIOCESAN COMMISSIONS Much of the work of the diocese is carried out by the many volunteers (lay people and clergy) who dedicate their time to serving on a variety of commissions.

Several of the commissions are canonical, meaning that their make-up, terms and duties are spelled out in the canons, or laws, of the diocese. Other commissions, listed as non-canonical, were formed and carry out ministry at the direction of the bishop. There are no specific canons that require their make-up or existence and may end their work at any time deemed appropriate by the bishop.

BUDGET COMMITTEE

Term: Three-year; elected by convention and bishop appointed Harold Patrick, chair The Budget Committee is a committee of Diocesan Council responsible for preparing and reviewing the annual operating budget of the diocese.

The 145th convention will elect one lay person for a three-year term to the Budget Committee.

COMMISSION ON CONGREGATIONAL LIFE Term: Three-year; bishop appointed * The Rev. Kevin Beesley, chair The Commission on Congregational Life is responsible for developing and implementing a mission strategy for the diocese, and is charged with encouraging, supporting, evaluating, and seeking opportunities for development and growth of all fellowships, missions, and parishes of the diocese.

COMMISSION ON MINISTRY

Term: Three-year; bishop appointed * Spencer Pugh, Chair The Commission in Ministry is responsible for overseeing a variety of matters concerning ordained and lay ministries in the diocese.

CONVENTION: COMMITTEE ON AGENDA AND DISPATCH OF BUSINESS

Term: One-year, bishop appointed * Nadya W. Richardson, chair This committee sets the agenda for convention and oversees the 14 running of convention, including the scripting of the actual business

sessions. It also oversees work with the venue, works with the nominations, resolutions, budget and canons committees, supervises the registration and credentials process and coordinates work with the local arrangements committee for hospitality and support needs.

CONVENTION: CONSTITUTION AND CANONS

Term: One-year; bishop appointed * Joseph J. Dehner, Esq., Chair This committee reviews the Constitution and Canons each year and considers whether to propose changes.

CONVENTION: CREDENTIALS

Term: One-year, bishop appointed * Sonja Bronson, Chair This committee oversees the credentialing of clergy and lay delegates to the annual convention and determines whether a quorum has been reached before any voting at the convention.

CONVENTION: NOMINATIONS

Term: One-year, bishop appointed * Jon Boss, Chair This committee recruits individuals interested in being nominated for elected positions and presents a slate of candidates to the convention.

CONVENTION: RESOLUTIONS

Term: One-year, bishop appointed * Jim Heathcote, Chair This committee reviews all proposed resolutions and prepares them for presentation to the convention.

DIOCESAN COUNCIL

Term: Three-year; elected by convention The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, President 1st Vice President: David Thomson The Diocesan Council is the continuing diocesan convention throughout the year. Their duty is to carry out the program and policies adopted by convention, and they are governed by Canon XII. The 145th convention will elect one clergy and four lay people to three-year terms, and one clergy to an unexpired two-year term to the Diocesan Council.

DISCIPLINARY BOARD

Term: Three-year; elected by convention The Rev. Dr. Stephen Smith, President The Disciplinary Board carries out the duties described in Title IV 5.1 of the Episcopal Church (clergy discipline).

The 145th convention will elect one clergy to a three-year term to the Disciplinary Board.

FINANCE COMMITTEE

Term: Term: three-year; appointed by bishop * Nadya Richardson, Chair The Finance Committee oversees the fiscal responsibilities of the diocese as outlined in Canon X.

STANDING COMMITTEE

Term - Three-year; elected by convention Martha Lentz, President The Standing Committee is a council of advice to the bishop. The committee undertakes canonically mandated actions in the ordination process; reviews and approves any sale or encumbrance of church property; reviews all bishops' elections and issues consent.

The 145th Convention will elect one clergy and one lay representative to a three-year term on Standing Committee.

TRUSTEES/DIRECTORS OF THE CHURCH FOUNDATION

Term: Five-year; elected by convention The Rev. Anne Warrington Wilson, chair The Trustees of the Church Foundation are responsible for administering loans and funds for church buildings as well as oversight over diocesan-owned properties.

The 145th Convention will elect one lay or clergy representative for a five-year term on the Trustees of the Church Foundation.

TRUSTEES OF THE DIOCESE

Term: Five-year; elected by convention Jon Boss, president The Trustees of the Diocese exist as an entity within the Diocese of Southern Ohio to receive and invest funds given to the diocese as endowments. Also serves as a board of advisors to the bishop on administration of the William Cooper Procter Memorial Fund.

The 145th Convention will elect one lay or clergy representative for a five-year term on the Board of Trustees of the Diocese.

DEPUTIES TO THE GENERAL CONVENTION Term: Three-year; elected by convention Diocesan conventions elect lay and clergy deputies as members of the House of Deputies of The Episcopal Church’s triennial General Convention. The General Convention sets the mission priorities, budget and policies of the Episcopal Church for the next three years, approves changes to the Church’s Constitution and Canons, and broadly defines the standards of worship. The deputies, while representing the diocese, cannot be instructed to vote one way or another by the diocese. They agree to come to General Convention with an open heart so that they can prayerfully listen to others and be led by the Holy Spirit. And, they cannot refuse to vote on an issue.

The 145th Convention will elect four clergy and four lay deputies, plus four clergy and four lay alternate deputies, to the 80th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which will take place in 2021 in Baltimore, MD.

NON-CANONICAL COMMISSIONS 412 SYCAMORE, INC. TRUSTEES/DIRECTORS* John Harris, Chair David Robinson, staff liaison 412 Sycamore Inc. directors consider parochial housing loan proposals and church loans after a congregation has received the consent of the Standing Committee to encumber the church property with a mortgage.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON COMPENSATION & RESOURCES*

The Rev. Darren Elin, chair David Robinson, staff liaison The ACCR advises the bishop and Diocesan Council on matters dealing with compensation and employment standards for clergy called to cures and/or offices in the diocese, and lay employees of the diocese and its member congregations.

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BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY TASK FORCE*

Cherie Bridges Patrick, Co-convener The Rev. Meribah Mansfield, Co-convener Becoming Beloved Community Task Force members are available to help individuals and congregations develop their ideas about how to implement Becoming Beloved Community in their churches and communities.

CAMPUS MINISTRY COLLABORATIVE*

The Rev. Deborah Woolsey, Convener The Collaborative consists of ordained ministers and lay leaders serving colleges and universities throughout the diocese.

ECUMENICAL & INTERRELIGIOUS RELATIONS

The Rev. Melanie Slane serves as the Bishop’s Ecumenical deputy and represents the Diocese of Southern Ohio at major ecumenical and interfaith events as deputed by the bishop.

EPISCOPAL CHURCH WOMEN*

Kathy Mank, President The ECW works to empower the women of The Episcopal Church to carry on Christ’s work throughout the world.

EPISCOPAL COMMUNITY SERVICES FOUNDATION

Term: Three-year, elected by convention The Rev. Suzanne LeVesconte, president ECSF is the outreach arm of the diocese that encourages, supports, and helps to sustain volunteer community service performed under the sponsorship of Episcopal Church congregations and deaneries.

The 145th Convention will elect three lay or clergy representatives to the board of Episcopal Community Services Foundation.

FAITH IN LIFE*

The Rev. Karl Stevens The Faith in Life Committee acts as trustees of an endowment from the Second Century Fund. The income of the trust

has funded many programs and projects, including Hobson Lectures, various Theologians in Residence, many Kenyon Conferences, a variety of formation programs, and grants for laypeople pursuing theological education.

LAWRENCE HOME*

Jeannie Leo, chair The Lawrence Home Association is a board of women appointed by the bishop that gives 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.

LITURGY & MUSIC*

Marsha Reilly, Co-chair The Rev. Cal Lane, Co-chair The Liturgy and Music Commission provides opportunities for education and community building to support clergy, church musicians and others involved in liturgy planning.

MINORITY EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE TRUST*

Milicent Eason, Chair The Minority Empowerment Initiative Trust awards scholarships to black students for post-secondary education.

PROCTER BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Rt. Rev. Thomas E. Breidenthal, chair The Rev. Frank Edmands, 1st vice chair Procter Center’s Board of Directors is accountable to the bishop for all aspects of the day-to-day operation of the center in coordination with the center’s three stakeholders; i.e., the Church Foundation, the Trustees of the Diocese and Diocesan Council.

The 145th Convention will elect one lay or clergy representative to a three-year term to the Procter Board. *If you are interested in being appointed to serve on any of these commissions, please contact the bishop’s executive assistant, Ann Sabo, at asabo@diosohio.org or 800.582.1712.

Connecting the Dots: Becoming a Beloved Community Let’s make the other congregations of the diocese more than just a dot on a map!

Where will you go, and what will you learn?

More information on participating in Connect the Dots will be announced at convention. Or comming soon to dsoConnections.org and eConnections!

We all know the kids’ activity of connect the dots. Following the numbers, connecting one to two, two to three, and finally you see the bigger picture. A new initiative that we will introduce at our annual convention in November will be one way for all of us to be more intentional about getting to know each other, learning from each other and finding ways to collaborate to widen our impact while connecting with God and seeing our bigger picture.

Our goal with the Connect the Dots initiative is simple - to connect people to a loving God and each other. We encourage you to visit other churches in our diocese, and worship together or visit an outreach program or formation program. We believe there is strength in diversity, and that by engaging more with each other we will learn from each other and grow together, becoming a stronger diocese.

Where will you go?

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Bishop’s office

Who you go

I really need to see the bishop When is our next visitation from the bishop scheduled?

Call: Ann Sabo Operations We’ve dreamed up a big project and we could use some help We have a major roof problem. What should we do?

Call: Carine de Lange Formation/Social Justice We have several lay people who need training We’re interested in doing a mission trip

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Call: The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat

Canon to the Ordinary

I’m thinking about exploring ordained ministry I need to report something about a member of the clergy

Call:

The Rev. Canon Lynn Carter-Edmands

Finance I have questions about our Mission Share Our accounting is a mess!

What are some of the best business practices for a small congregation?

Call: David Robinson Giff Blaylock Anglea Byrd Susan Byrnside Bill Macke

onna call?

Transitions Our priest is retiring!

I don’t know who to call!

Call: Erick Williams

We just can’t afford full-time clergy anymore

Rev. Canon Call: The Jason Leo Sherri Martin

Communications How we can better advertise our church?

I need help with digital strategies

David Dreisbach Call: Julie Murray Information Technology

Fresh Expressions

How can we get our computer infrastructure up to speed on a small budget?

We are interested in exploring new ways to engage with our community

How can I get internet through the whole building?

We have a ministry that could really use an intern

Call: Tammie Vanoss

?

Call: The Rev. Canon Jane Gerdsen

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Responding to bishop’s call to pray for an end to hate and violence

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Following the tragic events of El Paso and Dayton, like many of us, I was moved as I haven’t been before. This one seemed a little closer to home than the other attacks on innocent lives that have ravaged our nation of late. In his message to the diocese on August 7, Bishop Breidenthal encouraged congregations in the diocese to join with him “in praying for an end to the epidemic of hate and violence that is sweeping our country."

Empowered by the bishop’s words, I thought that holding a prayer vigil in Athens, organized and held at Good Shepherd, could be a way to show our empathy for the victims, for the tragedies, and as a response to the bishop’s call to action. After talking at length with Good Shepherd’s rector, the Rev. Deborah Woolsey, we both decided that a vigil might not be well attended, and moreover, once the vigil is past and the enthusiasm of the moment has faded, we often return to our busy lives, tending to file away the reason we gathered at a vigil.

Mother Deborah told me about a friend of hers, the Rev. Gary Manning, rector of Trinity Church in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, who came up with a way of reminding the people of his community about the power of prayer. He was drawn to a prayer that speaks to violence and hate in Stanley Hauerwas’ collection of sermons and prayers, “Disrupting Time” (2004). Manning had portions of that prayer printed on a banner that he placed on an outside wall of his church. He has found that whenever he enters the church and when he walks outside the church, he sees the banner and prays the words. And that people from his city also see the banner, stop to read it, and become moved by the powerful words of the prayer.

The prayer by Stanley Hauerwas reads: Dear God, We pray for the end of killing…. Make those who die, and those who kill real for us, that we might join one another in that long mourners’ bench called history…. Make us incapable of “getting used to it.” Make us burn with the passion of your peace; fire our imaginations with your love… May we learn to fear you more than we fear one another, and so fearing, become for the world your trust.

I found Manning’s blog post about the banner engrossing and was also affected by the prayer. Written sometime before 2004, the prayer continues to speak to us today, perhaps even more so

An anti-violence prayer banner hangs on the front of Church of the Good Shepherd, Athens. that it did when it was written.

Good Shepherd sits surrounded on all sides by the campus of Ohio University.

Having read Manning’s post and Bishop Breidenthal’s challenge to us, I thought Good Shepherd could make a public statement that would encourage conversations both within and outside our church walls. If we had that same prayer printed on a banner and placed it at the front of the church building, we could remind ourselves and our neighbors daily that life and love are the antidotes to killing and hate. In this way of engaging the community, we could begin to address the genuine concern and distress that we all feel about gun violence and legislation in this country, and respond to Bishop Breidenthal’s call “to relate what we have to say about that to our own faith. Nothing much will be gained from us as a faith community unless we do this work.”

In August I asked our vestry for approval to put up a banner like the one Manning has on his church wall. Vestry was unanimous in accepting the proposal. Now as we begin a new academic year, the banner hangs on the front porch of Good Shepherd for everyone to see, to pray, and, we hope, to begin this difficult, but important conversation about gun legislation and the culture of violence and hate.

David Burton serves as senior warden at Church of the Good Shepherd in Athens.

ECSF connects community ministries Did you know that 12 congregations and 130 individuals from throughout the diocese financially support 20 other parishes in their ministries to the wider community? These dollars, and the hearts and hands of nearly 600 persons from these ministry churches, help to serve more than 37,000 people in the wider communities of Southern Ohio – with food, clothing, meals, diapers, financial education, math and reading tutoring, and much more. That’s a lot of connecting!

ECSF, the Episcopal Community Services Foundation of the Diocese of Southern Ohio, receives money from congregations’ general budgets and special offerings, through our yearly Advent Campaign, and from individuals that have committed to support these ministries. This year we are adding an additional avenue for giving, ECSF Sunday, on September 29. On that Sunday, we will hear from Scripture the story of “Bridging the Chasm and Opening the Gate” from Luke 16:19-31. Your gifts are about “bridging the chasm and opening the gate” for those in need. That’s the gift of connecting!

Take a look at the congregations and their ministries you have supported for 2019! Note the impact for some of the people your gifts help to serve. Then give to ECSF to support these ministries into the future. To learn more or to give now, visit the ECSF website at www.ecsfsouthernohio.org/. That’s how to keep the connections going!

We are grateful to all of you who give so generously to help fund the community ministries of the diocese. Thanks for connecting!

Your donations …. Help people in crisis find the support they need to regain control of their lives. (Christ Church, Dayton; CityHeart)

Your donations …. Help feed the souls – as well as the bellies – of children, teens and adults. (Holy Trinity, Bellaire; Motivational Morning Munchies & Community Meal) Motivational Morning Munchies ensures that kids have hearty and nutritious meals, but more importantly, that they have a time to interact with each other in a safe environment.

Topics cover the usual kid topics, from arguments about favorite Pop Tart flavors to football rivalries. Other times the kids embark on their own ministry projects, baking cookies or providing blankets for foster children. But sometimes the discussions become graver and more personal, including thoughts of suicide, and referrals are made to get the kids the help they need. Food is given for bellies, and fellowship is provided for strengthening tender hearts. Thank you, Holy Trinity, Bellaire, for the connections you make!

Anthony Erhresmann is one of CityHeart’s volunteer Resolution Specialists. He takes the time to build trusted relationships with those in difficult circumstances who need caring support over a period of time to stabilize their lives. One of his clients, Denise, needed to find housing that she could afford on her own, but was uncertain that she could find something she could afford where she could also keep her two cats. Anthony helped her find a nearby subsidized location for seniors that allowed the tenants to have one pet and made contact with a local no-kill facility that would take the other. With the care and compassion shown by Anthony, Denise was convinced that this apartment was the best choice for her to be independent. In the end, unable to choose, she made the decision to give up both cats, confident they would be placed into loving homes. Denise’s story is just one story of how CityHeart helps people in crisis find the support they need to regain control of their lives and thrive. Thank you Christ Church, Dayton, for the connections you make!

The Rev. Suzanne LeVesconte, rector of Trinity, Hamilton, serves as the president of the ECSF board. Connect with her at boardchair@ecsfsouthernohio.org.

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2019 ECSF Grant Recipients and their Sponsors Congregation

Ministry

Grant made possible by the generosity of:

All Saints, New Albany Christ Church, Dayton

YWCA Family Center Dinners CityHeart

Christ Church, Springfield Christ Church, Springfield Christ Church, Springfield Epiphany, Nelsonville Good Samaritan, Amelia Grace, Cincinnati

Freedom School Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) of Springfield Peace Camp Feeding Ministry Community Supper & Emergency Pantry Community United Empowerment

Holy Trinity, Bellaire Our Saviour, Cincinnati Our Saviour, Cincinnati Redeemer, Cincinnati Redeemer, Cincinnati

Motivational Morning Munchies/Community Meal Food Ministries Transformacion Price Hill (TCDC) IHN MEAC

St. Andrew's, Cincinnati

Summer Camp Reading

St. Andrew's, Pickerington St. John's, Columbus St. John's, Columbus St. Matthew's, Westerville St. Paul's, Logan St. Peter's, Delaware

Higher Calling His Place Street Church Poet in Residence Feeding Ministry Andrew's House

Society of the Transfiguration St. Patrick's, Dublin; Walbroehl Charitable Fund; Meyers Family Charitable Trust; Robert & Martha Christopher John J. Schiff, Jr.; Jerome Stein Trinity, Hamilton; All Saints, New Albany St. Alban's, Bexley The Anderson Family Fund Christ Church, Springfield St. Patrick's, Lebanon; The ECSF Board of Trustees; An Anonymous Donor Philip Glandon Family Fund St. Mark's, Columbus Clergy of the Diocese; Anonymous Donors Individual Donors Dcn. Anne Reed & Giff Blaylock; Kathy & Mike Krug; John & Sue Smith St. John's, Worthington; St. Timothy's, Cincinnati; James and George Ann Wesner An Anonymous Donor Karen Bowie in Memory of Bishop Thompson Karen Bowie in Memory of Bishop Thompson St. Christopher's, Fairborn; Thomas & Marie Jenkins Fund Thomas & Susan Kirkpatrick

St. Peter's, Gallipolis St. Stephen's, Columbus St. Timothy's, Anderson Trinity, Columbus Trinity, Columbus Trinity, McArthur

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St. Philip's, Circleville, ECW; St. Philip's, Circleville, Discretionary Fund; John & Margaret Kissel; Eric & Kathleen Andres; Deanna L. Hollon; Carol Harbaugh Loaves and Fishes St. Anne's, West Chester; Anonymous Donors Neighborhood Services Individual Donors Inter Parish Ministries (IPM) Louise Allen; Dawn & John Pascoe State ID program for homeless and returning citizens Individual Donors In the Garden Dcn. Fred McGavran; Linda L. Upson Donor Advised Fund Layette Episcopal Retirement Services in recognition of their Board

The Big Provincial Gathering Thirteen people from the Diocese of Southern Ohio traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan for two days of learning and forming relationships with participants from other Province V dioceses (fourteen dioceses in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Missouri).

Workshops covered everything from church management to Beloved Community to the newest Christian formation programs.

The keynote speaker for the event was the Rev. Lorenzo Librija, director of TryTank.org, a partnership to support church growth and innovation. His message – (summarized here by the Rev. Jason Fout, Bexley-Seabury Seminary) "helping us to think more creatively and expansively about the challenges that lie before us, and lowering the stakes on when something doesn’t work….He helped us to approach our challenges more wisely. Instead of out of anxiety or ignorance, by attending to the data that we could discover, instead of simply throwing spaghetti at a wall and seeing what sticks. Both of these, the freedom to try something and the tools to try something intelligently, are great blessing for the church today.”

Miriam McKenney, Development Director for Forward Movement and a member of Calvary, Clifton, echoed Fout’s enthusiasm, saying, “[Librija’s] clear, practical approach can be applied to any new endeavor, and can be used to refresh longstanding programs.” To see examples of projects in which Librija has been involved, go to https://www.trytank. org.

Becoming Beloved Community was another central theme of the conference.

Cherie Bridges Patrick and Mary Beth Ingram from St. Matthew’s, Westerville, Amy Howton, our diocesan Becoming

Several BPG attendees gathered together for a meal while in Kalamazoo.

Beloved Community coordinator, Larry James of St. Barnabas Montgomery, and Debbie Stokes of St. Philip’s, Columbus, met others walking the journey and, as a result, have created a Google Group with other dioceses to share stories, ask questions and seek support. Stokes participated in two anti-racism workshops. One focused on Native American experiences of racism, a topic she hopes to explore in our diocese.

Jake Cunliff of Trinity, Columbus, Michelle Dayton of St. James, Zanesville, and Catherine Duffy of All Saints, New Albany, found workshops on pressing social issues particularly helpful.

Cunliff learned about St. Margaret’s House in South Bend, Ind., a day center for women enhancing their lives and the lives of their families. He also attended a vigil led by the Episcopal Peace Fellowship at the Sojourner Truth memorial in Battle Creek. Dayton attended “Faith Based Response to the Opioid Crisis” and commented, “It was clear that the church has some room to grow in terms of not shaming those who are experiencing addiction.”

Duffy is engaged in Creation Care ministries and learned what people in other dioceses are doing. She hopes to begin meeting with members of churches

in the Columbus area to explore actions we might take together.

Spencer Pugh of St. Anne’s, West Chester, is taking insights he gained from a workshop with the Seminary of the Southwest’s John Lewis back to the Commission on Ministry about new ways of thinking about vocation and calling. Spencer also led a workshop on Lay Discernment.

Three diocesan staff members also attended the Big Provincial Gathering.

The Rev. Canon Lynn Carter-Edmands serves as our diocesan representative to the Province V Board, and the Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat loaded up on information about the newest Christian Formation programs and resources for congregations. David Robinson, CFO of the diocese, shared his take-aways from a session on church planting: • With respect to new starts, stay as nimble as you can; reject as long as you can the urge to buy or build a permanent building.

• There are opportunities for restarts, even in our existing church buildings.

This may require new people at alternative service times from the existing congregation.

He concluded, “Simply said, resist institutions, resist buildings. This coming from the guy whose job it is to maintain buildings and affirm financially the institution!”

All of the participants in the Big Provincial Gathering want to share what they learned with anyone in the diocese who is interested in learning more.

Contact Canon Reat for more information.

The Rev. Canon Lee Anne Reat serves as the Canon for Formation and Social Justice Ministries for the Diocese of Southern Ohio. Connect with her at lareat@diosohio.org.

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2019 Glean & Share update Once upon a time in a galaxy not so far away, there lived a superhero. Her name was Ruth.

The Book of Ruth is about love, loyalty and acceptance. Ruth stood strong in the shadow of the reapers in the fields where strawberries and blueberries and melons and grapes and spinach and kale and tomatoes and carrots and quinoa grow. Ruth stood strong in the shadow of the reapers who came to clear those fields and the harvest of gold and green and red and white and blue and yummy spicy black mustard, whose seed might be the smallest of all.

And there stood Ruth strong and tall, but in the shadow of the reapers so as not to be seen while she gleaned the field of what got left behind.

And then the landlord saw her and this is how the story begins to end. The Lord of the land said, do not be afraid, do not hide, please go ahead and glean and share.

So there really is a rainbow of fresh food for all. Come to the farm to glean and share and you will see.

The seeds for gleaning in southwest Ohio were planted in February 2018.

Two farms and several Glean & Share teams participated in a pilot project in the spring and summer of 2018 with funding provided through a “Cincy Save the Food Fund� grant from Green Umbrella.

The Gleaning Network program of the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) sprinkled some fresh water on the seeds in April 2019 and agreed to help support ten more Glean & Share events in southwest Ohio. This author agreed to be a volunteer Hunger Relief Advocate for the

Faith Food

&

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Farmer Samantha Gordon (middle) with two volunteers from La Soupe gleaned blueberries at Gordon Farm.

Society of St. Andrew and will coordinate gleaning and seek sustainable funding in southern Ohio.

We kicked off the 2019 season in early July with a two+ hour gleaning at the Gordon Farm in New Richmond, OH (Clermont County). Volunteers from La Soupe, SoSA and farm owners Samantha and Scott Gordon harvested 28 pounds of fresh, bright blueberries that were shared with La Soupe and its partner network.

We are grateful to the Gordons for their contribution to the endhunger.org movement. We invite you to learn more about them at Bee Haven Honey (www.beehavenhoney.com) and The Chocolate Bee (www.chocolatebeecincy.com) and support their important work.

We are also grateful for the Our Harvest Cooperative. Our Harvest allowed us to glean six times at their Bahr Farm in College Hill (Cincinnati) in 2018. They intend to schedule glean-

ing of tomatoes, squash, chard, and potatoes as the late summer and fall of 2019 unfold. The first event was in early August with volunteers from Working in Neighborhoods (WIN in South Cumminsville), SoSA and La Soupe.

We have also taken small steps to expand the Glean & Share program with other farms, volunteer groups, faith traditions and food destinations (recipients) in other counties in southwest Ohio.

Two events were scheduled for August at Indian Springs Berry Farm (blackberries in Butler County) and Once in a Blue Moon Farm (blueberries on the border of Warren and Greene Counties).

Stay tuned to Connections to learn more about the rest of the story.

Mike Eck is a Food Justice Advocate and is actively involved in the local organic food movement in southwest Ohio. Mike and his wife, Denise, are members of Christ Church, Glendale.

Connect with Mike at miketeck@gmail.com.

Register now for Lay Discernment workshop Mark your calendar! On Saturday, October 26, the Commission on Ministry (CoM) will host a discernment workshop for “regular folks” at the Procter Center. We are calling this year’s workshop “Listening with the Ear of your Heart: Tools for Discovering God’s Call in your Life.”

The response to last year’s workshop was very positive. Among the many wonderful comments, we were told: “This was an excellent offering for my own personal growth and for the collective growth of members of our diocese. I am hoping there will be more similar offerings.” and “This was by far the best workshop I’ve attended.”

So how do you discern God’s call in your life? We don’t mean the “little deci-

sions” in life, those choices that may take time but are likely not of spiritual consequence. (Do I buy a Ford or a Honda?) We don’t mean trying to figure out your spiritual gifts and so what lay ministry is best for you. (Do I serve on the Altar Guild or teach Sunday School?)

Such questions are important but perhaps secondary to the bigger questions in life. What we mean is: how do we, as lay people, learn to listen for the Divine Desire in our lives and then respond?

How does one navigate life’s transitions in a way that is open to the Spirit? What are spiritual practices I can try to help me be more open to God’s call?

The workshop will start at 8:45 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. For 2019, we are structuring the workshop into two tracks. Track 1 will be similar to the successful format we used in 2018. Track

2 is designed specifically for those who attended last year’s workshop and would like a deeper dive into prayerful discernment, “Listening Hearts” style.

Space is limited, so please register now. Register under ‘News and Events’ at diosohio.org. The registration fee is $25 per person to help offset the cost of food and supplies. Scholarships are available. Also, if traveling to Procter for an 8:45 a.m. start is a challenge for you, we can also help you with arrangements to spend Friday night at Procter.

Contact Sherri Martin, Executive Assistant to the Canons, at the Diocesan Office at smartin@diosohio.org or (513) 421.0311 ext. 105 for assistance.

If you have questions please do not hesitate to contact Spencer Pugh, chair of the Commission on Ministry at spencerpugh@twc.com.

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Saturday, October 19, 2019, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Did you enjoy Convocation? You won’t want to miss this!

Raising Justice Kids, a diocesan gathering focused on fellowship, learning, and Becoming Beloved Community, will be held at the Procter Center on Saturday, October 19. The event is designed to be family friendly, with opportunities for intergenerational dialogue, fun activities and opportunities to explore how we can unite in preparing all of our children to follow Jesus as healers, reconcilers and justice-makers.

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The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Harvey will be our keynote speaker. Her address, “Raising White Kids: An Anti-Racism Conversation for All of Us,” will invite us to explore together how we might integrate the call in Becoming Beloved Community into our parenting, youth ministry, and care for our children as we commit to raising justice kids. Youth will be engaged as well so that the day will sow the seeds of crossgenerational dialogue and Becoming.

Harvey is a writer, speaker, and professor of religion at Drake University where she also serves as Faculty Director

for the Crew Scholars Program. She has a Ph.D. in Christian Ethics from Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Her work focuses primarily on racial justice and white anti-racism. Harvey's most recent books include Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in Racially Unjust America (Abingdon Press) and Dear White Christians: For Those Still Longing for Racial Reconciliation (Wm. B. Eerdmans). She has contributed to the New York Times, CNN, and been a guest on both Iowa and National Public Radio (including NPR’s “It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders”). She is a widely sought-after public speaker and is ordained in the American Baptist Churches (USA).

Following the keynote session, we will share a harvest lunch, giving thanks for Procter’s fall harvest then engage in community-driven conversations inspired by our morning together. Is there a question you’re burning to explore with others? Have you been working on a related project that you’d love to share? Are you coming up against a challenge and need some support? There will be time and space for these rich dialogues.

The late afternoon will be a time for fellowship, with hayrides, pumpkin painting and beautiful music, so that we’ll be ready to return home with full hearts, minds, and spirit. And if you’re not ready to leave, you are invited to stay overnight for a campfire and Sunday morning Eucharist to deepen the experience, in community.

There is no cost for the event, but room charges for optional overnight lodging at Procter will apply. Register at https://diosohio.wufoo.com/forms/ raising-justice-kids/

CLERGY DAY WITH JENNIFER HARVEY Thursday, October 17, 2019, Procter Conference Center 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Harvey

Engaging as a Church Leaders: The Liberating Journey of Anti-Racism Jennifer Harvey, author of Dear White Christians and Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America, will deepen our diocesan discourse on Becoming Beloved Community at our Fall 2019 Clergy Day. Harvey is Professor of Religion at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

She received her Ph.D. in Christian Social Ethics from Union Theological Seminary. She is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, an author for the Feminist Studies in Religion blog and keeps her own blog formations. living at the intersections of self, social, spirit.

Harvey describes her presentation on Clergy Day this way: Christian churches in the U.S. are at a crossroads similar to the one at which we find ourselves as a nation. The limits of our collective work on racial justice to this point have been exposed in painful and difficult ways. In the wake of a political and social climate in which racial division, individual and structural violence, and hostile rhetoric against people of color, religious minorities and immigrants remain pervasive, the church needs to act. Yet, for many of us – especially those of us who are white – how to “act” and what to “do” are questions for which there are no easy answers.

We can learn to answer them, however. And the work of anti-racism can be pursued in any community, whatever it’s racial demographics. Such work is not only spiritually nurturing, it is also liberating and aligned with the gospel. This liberating work – with particular attention to the challenge of “whiteness” (a challenge that is relevant to all of us, whatever our racial or ethnic identity!) – will be the organizing focus of our time together.

Although we expect that all clergy will attend Clergy Day, you must register so that we have an accurate count for lunch.

Please go to https://dsoepiscopal.org/2019-fall-clergy-day/

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Identity. Power. Privilege. Finding My Place and Respecting Yours You can feel it. Discomfort rises up in tough conversations.

Sometimes it’s silence. “Crickets,” we say. No one wants to speak for fear of offending, sounding ignorant or worse. Sometimes it’s

the opposite – heated debate, stridently differing views and your blood pressure is on the rise. It’s tempting to run from the discussion and try to return to something less controversial for the sake of everyone’s feelings. To keep everyone calm, to turn down the heat. Frankly, to avoid the difficulty of continuing the tough conversation.

This is where the founding idea of a symposium series based on Finding Comfort in Discomfort began – building the stamina to stay with the tough conversations and creating a comfort in being uncomfortable. Doesn’t sound like the kind of comfort we want, does it? It’s not. This is a particular and perhaps peculiar sort of comfort. It’s more about recognizing that when the discomfort arises it’s time to stay with it, sit with it, and know that even if you squirm, to remain is to learn and grow.

Daniel Juday is our featured presenter this year. Daniel is a speaker, consultant, husband, dad, friend, and a graduate of The Ohio State University. His work is all about building bridges of understanding and empathy across challenging divides.

“Challenging divides” – an excellent description of the possible location of discomfort. Juday writes, “There’s a lot of noise in our world today – a lot of voices from a lot of directions, telling us who to listen to, what to think, and how to act. We’re going to try to cut through some of that noise … and disrupt any misinformation about diversity, inclusion and privilege.”

The symposium will begin with a presentation by Juday “(Re) defining the Diversity Conversation”. Words like identity, power and privilege are layered with meaning and Juday will address these words, what they mean and don’t mean, and work with those gathered as a group to apply them to us as community.

After his presentation there will be a panel of local people with very different stories – immigrant, transgender, Black, female and more. Personal stories will be shared and a moderator will interview the panelists and then it will be opened for dialogue with those in attendance.

The 2019 Finding Comfort in Discomfort Symposium will be held October 12 at Otterbein University from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is sponsored by St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Westerville, Otterbein University’s Office of Social Justice and Activism and the Martin Luther King Jr Legacy Project in Westerville. Requested donation is $20 and additional donations are welcome. Proceeds go to the Martin Luther King Jr Legacy Project. Students are welcome to attend for free. Registration is available under ‘News and Events’ at diosohio.org.

BATTLING THE BINARIES TO CREATE CONNECTION If there is one thing that I can say for myself, and this has become my life anthem, it is that I deeply and fully believe that all people matter. I work hard to work this out every day. And, I promise you this: I’ve never regretted spending time and energy constructing a meaningful and inclusive relational network. You won’t either.

We are so often socially, politically, and religiously taught that the boundaries that seem to exist between us as people – boundaries of color, of wealth, of language, of ability level, of orientation – are real barriers. We are conditioned to believe that the world is an either/or construct – that you are either in my tribe, or you’re not. And, this is a comfortable construct. That’s why it “works” for so many. We get to retreat into ideologies and monologues that make sense to us, according to our lived experiences, limited perspectives, and personal opinions.

These binaries (this either/or construct) signal difference; they exist to illustrate contrast. They are about identifying, and bringing into greater focus, the edges of something. They tell us where we end, and where others begin.

These binary spaces affirm our identities; they create places where what we hear reaffirms what we thought we knew. We like that. Echo chambers feel safe. But echo chambers are also stagnant.

We lose tremendous opportunity for connection and community when we think in binaries.

Binaries always limit connection. They create false dichotomies that assign people to only one of two tribes: in or out. To overcome this binary thinking and tribalism, though, is a matter of breaking the stasis of stagnation, of overcoming the inertia of “I’ve always thought about the world this way,” or “This is just the way it is.”

That’s hard work. Recognizing unhelpful thought patterns and realigning them is tough. It takes a willingness to question ourselves, our motives, our privilege, our tribe and the absences within it.

Here are some ways I’ve realized that binary thinking has limited my ability to connect with the world in meaningful ways: As a husband, I’ve come to realize that the binary of right and wrong is the enemy of relational reconciliation.

As a father, I’ve come to realize that the binary of nice and not nice is the enemy of true kindness.

As an educator, I’ve come to realize that the binary of smart and stupid is the enemy of impassioned learning.

As a spiritually-awake seeker, I’ve come to realize that the binary of good and evil is the enemy of meaningful faith.

As a person who loves cross-cultural exchange of all kinds, I’ve

come to realize that the binaries we assign to the human experience are the enemy of authentic relationships.

These are simple to write and challenging to live. But they’ve opened me up to a much richer, fuller life. Binaries offer a perceived safety, but authentic connections and a willingness to learn ourselves larger offer an expansive and expanding life.

Let me encourage you: connect. Take the time to be open, to be authentic, vulnerable, excited, passionate, wounded, discouraged, and available to those around you. Take people out for coffee.

Share your dreams with them. Ask them theirs. Find people who know things you don’t. Ask them to explain their worlds to you.

Explore the lived experiences of others with wide-open eyes and a wondering heart. Reserve judgment. Exercise grace. Become a master question-asker.

Here are some ideas to help you take first steps at breaking down the barriers of perceived difference: • Slow your thinking down • Seek to understand any specific roots of binary thinking.

• Don’t let an immediate bias turn into a decision or belief.

• Ask earnest questions • Seek as much information as you can, rather than filling in gaps with assumed information.

• Ask before you ask. Sometimes asking someone permission to ask questions gives them a voice they didn’t have before.

• Listen with a courageous heart • Take the time to hear someone’s story. Don’t automatically connect the individual in front of you to a group identity.

• Be a vulnerable listener. Listen with the intent to massage some of your thinking into greater accuracy and insight.

• Reflect with intentionality and generosity • Seek the connective tissue between your story and someone else’s. As a human, you have far more in common than not.

• Find commonality with others along the spectrum of human experience, celebrating what’s similar, and seeking to hear and understand what’s not.

No one is ever going to perfectly and eternally erase all of the binaries of the brain. At least, I assume not. It seems to be hardwired into us. We can all, though, get better at battling the binaries of our brains. This battling is the work of connection, and is the work of us all.

2019 Finding Comfort in Discomfort Symposium presenter Daniel Juday is a speaker, educator and convener who works at the intersection of diversity and inclusion, employee engagement and leadership development. You can find him online at www.danieljuday.com or connect with him at daniel@danieljuday.com or 29 www.linkedin.com/in/danieljuday/.

Jubilate 2019 As the Church engages conversations about prayer book revision and language, this dynamic conference seeks to assist the dialogue with

fruitful thoughts and intellectual arguments from some of the brilliant theologians of our time. Come and enter into this meaningful discussion as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit among us!

A Conversation About Prayer Book Revision and our Language of Prayer Saturday, November 2 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati Ohio Registration & Info: DSOJubilate.org Responses by: Presenters: The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal Ephraim Radner Wycliffe College, University of Toronto

Bishop of Southern Ohio

Katherine Sonderegger

Liza Anderson

Ruth Meyers

Jonathan Y. Tan

Virginia Theological Seminary Church Divinity School of the Pacific

College of St. Scholastica Case Western Reserve University

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CONNECTING CHANGES AT FORWARD MOVEMENT After 27 years of service as Director of Business Operations at Forward Movement, Jane Paraskevopoulos (left) has retired from her position effective August 30. Co-workers, family and friends gathered Aug. 22 to honor Jane’s long ministry and wish her well in her retirement. Jane will certainly be missed at 412 Sycamore!

Kathy Jose (right) has been named as the new Director of Business Operations. Kathy formerly served as a Customer Service Representative for Forward Movement and is an active member of Christ Church Cathedral. She can be contacted at kjose@forwardmovement.org.

CUNLIFFE WINS WRITING CONTEST

Jake Cunliffe, a seminarian at Yale Divinity School and active member of Trinity, Columbus, was named the winner of a sermon/essay contest sponsored by the Ohio Council of Churches. As part of their 100th Jake Cunliffe anniversary celebration, the Council invited clergy and laity to submit sermons or essays that show appreciation for past and present manifestations of the ecumenical movement, while offering a sense of God’s vision for future expressions of Christian Unity that reveal Christ’s love and justice ethic in our increasingly unjust and fragmented world. As the winner, Cunliffe was invited to present his sermon during morning worship at the OCC’s anniversary event on September 6.

St. James, Westwood, rector, the Rev. Mary Carson (right), gives the invocation at the Urban League’s annual gala alongside Pastor Maxine Gray from Shepherd’s Heart Christian Fellowship.

BRIDGING COMMUNITY DIVIDES In 2018, a core group of residents in Cincinnati's Westwood neighborhood began on a journey to be the catalyst for change in the racially divided community. One year later, the group, now called One Westwood, has brought forth a mission statement and a challenge to the neighborhood: to be committed to bridging the racial divide by engaging the community in conversation and by inspiring action that builds equity. On September 14, One Westwood was recognized by the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio at its 70th anniversary gala with its 2019 Journey Award in celebration of community transformation through inclusion, equity and partnership.

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145TH ANNUAL CONVENTION

IMPORTANT DATES/ DEADLINES October 1 (45 days prior) • Deadline for proposed resolutions (link to file at dsoconvention.org) • Nominations for office requested (link to nominate yourself or someone else at dsoconvention.org. Please have nominee’s permission before submitting form.)

October 8 (38 days prior) • Pre-convention hearing live streamed to four interactive viewing locations, 7 p.m.

• October 31 (15 days prior) • Deadline for Commission/ Committee/Task Force annual reports (link to file at dsoconvention.org) November 1 (14 days prior) • Registration closes at 5 p.m.

November 12 (3 days prior) • Deadline for late nominations. No nominations will be accepted from the floor.

• Necrology deadline

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The 145th annual convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio will be held November 15-16 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington, OH. Important information you need to know to prepare for the convention:

PRE-CONVENTION HEARINGS

Convention delegates are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-convention hearing in order to make informed decisions when voting at convention. As we did last year, all four preconvention hearings will be held simultaneously via livestream on Tuesday, October 8, at 7 p.m. Delegates and clergy can attend at one of four interactive viewing sites throughout the diocese.

Cincinnati area: Christ Church, Glendale Columbus area: All Saints, New Albany Dayton area: St. Paul’s, Oakwood Eastern area: Good Shepherd, Athens

REGISTRATION

Registration is now open online at dsoconvention.org. There is no cost to attend the convention, but pre-registration is required for anyone wishing to attend either the business sessions on Friday or Eucharist and formation workshops on Saturday.

Registration will remain open until November 1 at 5 p.m. Anyone not registered by the November 1 deadline will need to register the day of the event. (Hint: avoid delays by registering by the deadline!)

CERTIFY YOUR LAY DELEGATES

Congregations are canonically required (see Canon III, Section 5) to certify the election of their Lay Delegates as soon as possible after they have been chosen at your annual meeting. This information is now reported on the Annual Reporting Form. If your congregation has not yet reported your election, you can submit the Annual Reporting Form on the diocesan website, diosohio.org. If your lay delegates have changed since they were reported, you must complete a Change of Delegate form, which can be found at dsoconvention.org.

have a change in their that have not reported or ns atio reg ng Co r: yea s thi New requirements are fulfilled. r for convention until these iste reg to e abl un be l wil delegates

REPAIRING THE BREACH

RESOLUTIONS

Proposed resolutions can be submitted at dsoconvention.org and must be received by Oct. 1. Those submitting resolutions are expected to attend (or have a representative present) at the pre-convention hearing on October 8. Contact resolutions committee chair Jim Heathcote at 937.446.2108 or jheathcote@earthlink.net with questions.

NOMINATIONS

There are several elected positions for which we seek nominees.

Please consider submitting your name for one of the positions to be elected at the 145th Convention. The nominating form can be found on our convention website, dsoconvention.org.

A list and description of each of the positions is available at dsoconvention.org. (You can also see the available positions in “Connecting with our commissions,” pages 14-17.) The deadline for nominations that will be posted online prior to the pre-convention hearings is October 1. Nominations received thereafter will be posted online weekly. No nominations will be accepted after November 12. Direct any questions to Jon B. Boss at jbboss@fuse.net or 513.761.2630.

AGENDA

Exhibits open at 9 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 15. Check-in and onsite registration will begin Friday at 9 a.m. A nominee forum and Morning Prayer will be held before the convention is called to order at 12 p.m.

The business of the convention will be completed on Friday and a reception and banquet will be held at the Roberts Centre following the close of business Friday evening.

The convention Eucharist will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, followed by a keynote address by the Rev. Tom Brackett, Manager for Church Planting and Redevelopment on the Presiding Bishop’s staff.

The remainder of the day will be filled with workshops and discussions around “Repairing the Breach,” one of the four quadrants of our journey toward Becoming Beloved Community. All are welcome and encouraged to attend the events on Saturday. (see page 30-31 for more information)

ACCOMMODATIONS Holiday Inn at the Roberts Centre ($124 - Group rate reservations received until Oct. 24) 123 Gano Road Wilmington, OH 45177 Group Name: Diocese of Southern Ohio 937-283-3200 Hampton Inn & Suites ($124 - Group rate reservations received until Oct. 15) 201 Holiday Drive Wilmington, OH 45177 Group Name: DSO 937-382-4400 Holiday Inn Express ($124 - Group rate reservations received until Oct. 15) 155 Holiday Drive Wilmington, OH 45177 Group Name: DSO 937-382-5858 Procter Center To book a room at the Procter Center, contact Robin Kimbler, Guest Services Manager, at 740.206.2036. Procter is about a 30-minute drive from the Roberts Centre. Reservations will be accepted until rooms are filled. $80 per person per night for single occupancy $50 per person per night for double occupancy

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145TH ANNUAL CONVENTION MEALS

Meal packages for both days are available for purchase with your registration, or you may bring your own.

CHILDCARE

Limited childcare will be available for those who cannot make alternate arrangements.

EXHIBITOR INFORMATION

Part marketplace, part ministry fair, the exhibits are one of the best parts of convention! The cost for an exhibit is $25 per table, with an additional $25 if you require electricity. (Plan to bring your own power strips and extension cords.) Register at dsoconvention.org.

altar e gently used vestments and e New this year: Do you hav rpl pu closet? Do you need new linens collecting dust in the money in the budget? Could your e altar linens and just don’t hav od news – we will be hosting Go ? lice church use another cha ng your meet” in the exhibit hall! Bri ents our first-ever “liturgical swap tm ents and other small appoin y ma surplus linens, robes, vestm t jus y the exhibit hall, where l wil to the designated area in the s ion gat gre m some closed con find a new home. Items fro don’t forget h a list of your needs, and wit me Co also be available. large note: No furniture or other will be your measurements! Please hes urc to space limitations. Ch more items will be accepted due for tch Wa d. ime any items not cla responsible for picking up s. tion nec Con ber issue of information in the Novem

BECOMING BELOVED COMMUNITY: FAITH FORMATION FOR OUR JOURNEY

Saturday, November 16

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS “You are my friends if….”

The Rev. Tom Brackett, Manager for Church Planting and Redevelopment, Presiding Bishop’s Staff

For the whole of his time among us, Jesus offered the invitation of “friendship with God.” Like all friendships, the relationship with this Partnering God is quite dependent on the quality of our commit-

ment. As we seek to be repairers of the breach, what practices help us to sustain our commitment to healing, reconciliation, and justice?

Tom Brackett will share his story of partnering with God and explores the beautiful friendship Jesus asks us to embody as his followers in our relationships and in our faith communities and neighborhoods.

Warning: This presentation will not be suitable for the faint-hearted!

WORKSHOPS SESSION 1 Blessed are the Peacemakers...A Look at Peacemaking through the Lens of Six Weeks in Israel/Palestine Presenter: The Rev. Jackie Matisse, St. Patrick’s Lebanon Jackie will discuss what she learned from six weeks of conversations with peacemakers in Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Redemption in the Criminal Justice System Presenter: Sasha Naiman, Ohio Justice Policy Center This workshop will explain how Ohio’s criminal legal system impacts people, in prison and in the community. 1 in 6 Ohioans have felony or misdemeanor convictions, which can create lifelong stigma and barriers to housing, employment, civic engagement, and community integration. In our overcrowded jails and prisons, many Ohioans are sentenced to unfairly long prison terms, even after they can demonstrate rehabilitation. This workshop will also explain what the Ohio Justice & Policy center is doing create fair, intelligent, redemptive criminal justice systems – through projects like Beyond Guilt and the Second Chance Legal Clinics. The audience will learn key statistics/ background about criminal “justice” in Ohio, as well as legal tools that help people seek redemption and mercy (e.g. clemency, parole, expungement, record sealing, etc.)

Belovedness for Beginners (And we’re all both!)

Presenter: The Rev. Tom Brackett, Manager for Church Planting and Redevelopment, Presiding Bishop’s Staff The “love” that Jesus describes is obviously not the same “love” that Subaru uses to advertise its cars. It’s also not the same one that couples trade on their first encounters or the one that holds our contemporary “tribes” together, especially in our church worlds! Come to this workshop if you are even mildly curious about how to live your life inside the only heart force powerful enough to overcome the collective madness of our times!

REPAIRING THE BREACH It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Presenter: The Rev. AJ Stack, St. Peter’s Gallipolis Mainline Christians are good at figuring out what their neighbors need. The trouble is, most of the time we do it without even talking to them! If you’re curious about how to build relationships with the folks who live right next door, come discuss some action-oriented steps you can take to rediscover the mission field that is just a few hundred yards away from your red doors.

Beloved Steps Presenters: The Rev. Cameron O’Riley, St. Patrick’s Dublin and the Rev. Karl Stevens, St. John’s Worthington Pilgrimage can be a pathway to racial healing and reconciliation. Such journeys provide an opportunity to tangibly connect to history through location, face-to-face encounters, and conversation with local residents and fellow pilgrims. In the summer of 2019, the Episcopal Youth of Columbus and their leaders traveled to the deep south to more fully understand the significance of systemic racism in our country, and how they can work towards creating Beloved Community.

SESSION 2 Let’s Keep it Real: Lessons from the Front Lines of Repairing the Breach Presenters: Amy Howton, Becoming Beloved Community Coordinator and Becoming Beloved Community Ambassadors In this session, clergy and lay leaders will keep it real with true and messy stories of how they have engaged in the work of Repairing the Breach in their local contexts, in their congregations, neighborhoods, nation. Some of these leaders received newly available Becoming Beloved Community grant funding to support their efforts; others have been on the front lines for decades. Together, they will all share stories of what they have learned (both wins and failures), how they have been changed, and considerations for continued efforts to

repair the breach. Examples include an interfaith dialogue on the history of White Supremacy in Springfield, a church-school partnership in Westwood, and policy and legislative advocacy.

Exploring the Intersection of Creation Care and Poverty: What We Can Do Presenter: TBA Securing a safe, healthy environment is essential for ensuring the well-being of individuals. Without it, efforts to improve health, housing, economic security, agriculture and other contributors that raise a person’s, or a community’s, standard of living are undermined. This workshop will explore the intersection of Creation Care and Poverty and ways that congregations can respond to our biblical call to be stewards of all of God’s creation.

Story as a Tool for Repairing the Breach Presenter: Miriam McKenney, Forward Movement Stories play a role in our daily lives both consciously and unconsciously. Together we will use the stories of others and our own stories as tools to gain knowledge, understanding, and healing across cultural and ethnic boundaries.

Public Witness Presenter: The Rev. Canon Jason Leo How to share the love of Jesus with strangers on the street.

Spontaneous evangelism on the fly.

Living the Way of Love: Building Young Adult Community in the Church Presenters: Members of Brendan’s Crossing Community Come hear from young adults who are part of our diocesan Episcopal Service Corps about how they are serving others in solidarity and promoting justice in the community. Reflect with them on how their faith draws them to a year dedicated to serving God and neighbors, living in intentional community, and discerning their calling.

NECROLOGY

The necrology is a list of people from each congregation that have died since the last convention. Submit these names to Sherri Martin at smartin@diosohio.org by Nov. 12. If you have questions, contact Sherri at 800.582.1712 ext. 105.

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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: October 7

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