Journal Episcopal
Volume 1 Number 1 February 2011
The
A Diocesan Edition of Episcopal Journal, The Desert Spirit is a quarterly witness to Episcopal community in Nevada
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God is calling the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada to transform our communities through the vitality of our worship and the living out of our baptismal vows.
Journey to The Holy Land: a pilgrim’s journal by Linda Smith, St. Paul’s Sparks
In November of 2008, Linda Smith lived her dream of traveling to the Holy Land. Entries from the journal she kept during her pilgrimage appear throughout this issue of The Desert Spirit. May her stories inspire you to deeper reflection, deeper faith as we walk together into the season of Lent.
Above: the grotto. Linda’s visit to the grotto in Bethlehem appears on page DS4 alongside photos and footnotes from Christmas at St. Mary’s, Nixon. Upper right: renewing baptismal vows at the Jordan River. Below: accommodations with the Sisters of Nazareth. Photos by Linda Smith Above:1st century grave room with roll away stone Below: Prayers and song
11/15/08 We left Saint George’s at 6 AM to go to the Old City and walk the Stations of the Cross. It is called Via Dolorosa. We carried a wooden cross and sang, “Holy God, Holy and Mighty, Holy Immortal One, have mercy upon us.” We followed the readings and prayers in a book called, ”A Walk in Jerusalem” by a Bishop Peterson. Each of us took turns reading as we drew what we were to read out of a hat. It was the perfect time to walk the stations because the market place and the city were just waking up and the street vendors were beginning to set up their wares. It was quiet and easier to concentrate and focus on the holy In This Issue: and what took place here 2,000 years ago. This was a very emotional morning and emotion was just pouring out of all of us. We sang, we walked, we read, we cried. It was beyond description. The first station was the place where Jesus was Bishop’s Message DS 2 condemned by Pontius Pilate in the headquarters of the RAIN, Legislature 2011 DS 3 Roman garrison, the Praetorium, the Antonia Fortress. Today, Christmas Album DS 4 the first station is in the courtyard of the Al-Omariya school. Camp Galilee DS 5 The second station was where Jesus takes up the cross. This is at the Franciscan Chapel of the Flagellation and Chapel of In The World DS 6 Condemnation. “And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, Episcopal Journal Insert and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, The Holy Land DS 7 and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him with Community DS 8-9 their hands.” (John 19:2-3). The third station is where Jesus Christian Formation DS 10 falls for the first time. An Armenian Catholic chapel marks Education Ministry DS 11 the spot where Jesus falls for the first time and above the entrance of the chapel is a relief of Jesus falling under the Bits & Pieces DS 12 weight of the cross. The fourth station is where Jesus meets see WALKING THE STATIONS, p DS 7
God is calling the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada to transform our communities through the vitality of our worship and the living out of our baptismal vows.
WHAT DO THE PHILIPPINES HAVE TO DO WITH MY CONGREGATION?
The Anglican Communion A worldwide community of 70 million Anglicans in 164 countries: 31 selfgoverning churches, 500 dioceses, 30,000 parishes and 64,000 congregations. The Archbishop of Canterbury: The Most Revered Rowan D. Williams.
a message from
Bishop Dan
On the other side of the world,
The Episcopal Church In America: 2.5 million Episcopalians in 113 Dioceses. Presiding Bishop: The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori.
in Asia, just across the Luzon Strait from Taiwan, across the South China Sea from Viet Nam, farmers wade hip deep in water through flood irrigated rice paddies -- some, behind farm machinery; others, behind water buffalo. On Sundays, they pray for us, the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada. They do not covet our checks. They want to know our names, to read our newsletters, and see our photographs. The Rural Deans of the Diocese of Santiago met with me twice during my visit to emphasize their enthusiasm for parish to parish personal relationships.
The Episcopal Diocese of Nevada In Nevada and Bullhead City, Arizona: 6,000 Episcopalians in 33 congregations and various new faith communities. Bishop Dan Edwards. To contact the Bishop’s office: Episcopal Diocese of Nevada 9480 Eastern Ave., Suite 236 Las Vegas, NV 89123-8037 (702) 737-9190, FAX (702) 737-6488 Diocesan Administrator: Ellie Wetherill Email: ellie@episcopalnevada.org The Desert Spirit The 2012 publication schedule is planned for four quarterly issues to be mailed to all Episcopal households in the Diocese in February, May, September and December. Implementation of this plan falls somewhere between order and chaos, so we strive to simply remain in God’s peace and do the best we can. Issues of The Desert Spirit and current news can also be found on the diocesan website at www.diocesenv.org Editor: Hallie Murphy FOR CHANGE OF ADDRESS, to submit materials for publication, or to remove an address from our mailing list, contact the Editor via email nvepiscopalcommo@gmail.com subject line Desert Spirit. Requests via US Mail should be sent to the diocesan office (address noted above). Distribution is free to each Episcopal household in the Diocese of Nevada. Donations to help defray costs are joyfully accepted: the cost to provide this service is approximately $20 annually per household. Please make your check payable to the Diocese of Nevada, and send it to the diocesan office (address noted above). Deadline for submission of materials for publication in The Desert Spirit is the 9th of the month preceding publication. Materials for May 2011 must be received by April 7.
Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is pending at Bryn Mawr PA and additional mailing offices. Episcopal Journal is published monthly by the Episcopal Journal, 111 Hickory Lane, Bryn Mawr PA 19010. Postmaster send address changes to: Episcopal Journal, PO Box 1402, Voorhees NJ 08043.
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The Context: My time in the Philippines was an eye opener. I have never had to unlearn and rethink so much history and geography, not to mention assumptions about Church. The Philippines is decidedly 2 things: Asian and Christian. It is the only Christian nation in Asia. We are in full communion with two denominations there. The Philippine Independent Church was established as a national church in 1902, very much as the Church of England was in the 16th Century and the Episcopal Church USA was in 1789. We have a lot in common and have been in full communion for over 50 years. Our companion diocese is part of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines. The Episcopal Church USA in general and the Brotherhood of St. Andrew in particular, sent missionaries to share our understanding of the faith in 1901. Today, there are Episcopalians all over the Philippines, but we are most strongly represented among the Igarot speaking people of the Cordillera, the mountains region in Northern Luzon. The Episcopal Church in the Philippines became autonomous in 1990. So like the Diocese of Nevada they are newly independent. Since the construction of the Magat Dam completed in 1982, rice farming has expanded dramatically in the plain around Santiago at the foot of the Cordillera. Farm workers have migrated down from the mountains where the Episcopal Church is most prominent. As a result of their migration, the area has become far more Episcopal. This led to the establishment of an independent diocese of Santiago (previously part of the Diocese of Northern Philippines) 10 years ago. Through their effective social ministries and evangelism, more and more Ilocano speaking Filipinos are becoming Episcopal. Poverty, economic injustice, and human rights violations by the government and military are part of daily life for our church there. Their response to these challenges could teach us a lot. Outstanding Features Of Our Sister Diocese: Social ministries: Their approach to social ministries is the most different thing I noticed. It isn’t about charity to tide someone over until tomorrow when they’ll need more charity. Social ministries there are about empowering people to live lives of dignity through cooperation with each other. The church forms cooperatives to maintain warehouses, refine coffee, share farming costs, extend credit, keep bees, produce soap – the list goes on. The Church helps people earn their livelihood by organizing communities for economic development. Rural churches operate health clinics. They virtually never have a doctor and often do not have a nurse. So they offer traditional herbal remedies, massage, and acupuncture. Episcopal Identity: The Philippine Book of Common Prayer is distinctive in some respects, but it is nearly the same as our BCP. The difference is that the people are more deeply immersed in it than we are. There is little interest in changing the prayers of the church to express whatever the priest or deacon is feeling that day. The people gather in quiet reverence to worship, using the prayers of the Church. Most congregations have Christian formation classes so the people can deepen their knowledge of the faith. The teaching style is different from what we might use. But they are eager to grow and are actively engaged in learning more about Christianity. They do not assume they know all they need to know. Evangelism: The context for evangelism could not be more different than Nevada since it is such a heavily Christian nation. Still there are things we might learn from the Diocese of Santiago. More than once, the diocese began community development projects in villages where there were no Episcopalians – not one. Then the people who had been organized for economic purposes contacted the diocese to ask if they could send a priest and begin a church. How might something like that happen here? What might their experience teach us about our new Miner’s Fellowship ministry in rural communities or our participation in community organizing efforts in Reno and the Las Vegas Valley? see PHILIPPINES, p. DS 3
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PLEASE PRAY ON THIS SPACE FOR THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE AND LEGACY OF ANNETTE MILLS Nevada Legislature, 76th Session OPENING DAY, FEB. 7 Religious Alliance in Nevada hosts forum
Hold the Date! 2011 RAIN Legislative Forum is Monday, February 7th, 2011. Hosted by the First Presbyterian Church, Carson City, we’ll meet at 7:00am for breakfast; the program begins at 7:30am.
The Program Introduction to RAIN; the growth of numbers of people living in poverty; impact of curtailment of services needed by impoverished persons as a result of potential budget cutbacks; the current condition of health care in Nevada in light of the federal health care legislation passed in 2010 and plight of uninsured individuals who cannot access health care; RAIN’s reentry initiative; presentation by Administration and Legislative Leaders on issues to be addressed by session. The First Presbyterian Church is located at 306 West Musser Street, Carson City, NV. (775) 882-1032
Pre-register to attend the forum with the form below. Include a registration fee of $15, made payable to RAIN, or pay $20 at the door. PRE-REGISTRATION FORM—RAIN Legislative Forum Feb. 7, 2009 Name ______________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________ City ________________________________________________ Email _______________________________________________ Tel No. (optional) ____________________ Church Affiliation _____________________________ Registration Fee Enclosed: Yes ______¬¬¬ No _______ Send to: RAIN, c/o Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Nevada Faith Lutheran Church (Phone: 775-747-3246) 2075 W. 7th St. Reno, NV 89503 E mail: Larry Struve, RAIN Advocate ldstruve@sbcglobal.net> Social Justice in Action: The Religious Alliance in Nevada (RAIN) provides for cooperative effort among communities of faith in Nevada as we seek to address and advocate for social justice at the state legislature and in the public arena, on those issues upon which there is common agreement of RAIN members. The Episcopal Diocese, the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, the Nevada Presbytery, regional conferences of the United Methodist Church, and Nevada Roman Catholic Conference are the current members of RAIN. The Rev. Deacon Bonnie Polley is the Southern representative and the Rev. Kim Morgan is the Northern representative to RAIN for the Episcopal Diocese. For more information, you may contact them or see the RAIN website at www.rainnv.org.
Bishop Dan is a tall man among men in the Philippines...
Philippines, cont’d from p DS2 What would a parish partnership involve? It’s really up to the parishes. At a minimum, you could add each other to your intercessions lists for the Prayers of the People. You could exchange newsletters and photographs. You might correspond with each other like old fashioned pen pals. I have several new Face Book friends in the Philippines. Eventually, you might even want to make the trip. Having just gotten back, I highly recommend it. For a desert rat, a sojourn in that water world is like a fantasy and the people are the most hospitable hosts on earth. But why would we want to do that? First, establishing relationships in Christ is what communion means. It’s the heart of our faith. Instead of caring only for people like us, people nearby, we care for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are as different from us as can be. Second, it’s easy to confuse the norms and customs of our culture with the doctrines of our faith. If we see how Christianity looks in a different culture, it helps us distinguish the essence of the faith from our own local habits. Third, whether we are in urban or rural Nevada, any evangelism strategy we may devise has to include Asian ministries. The Asian population in Nevada is
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already twice the national average. And our Asian population is growing -- not so much from overseas immigration as Asians moving from California and Eastern cities to the Mountain West. It went from 2.9% of Nevada’s people in 1990 to 6% in 2008. If we are to welcome Asian Americans into our churches, we need to know their culture and appreciate their sense of the faith. We already have two thriving predominantly Filipino congregations in Las Vegas and Filipino members, including leaders, in other congregations. The Filipino presence in our churches is already a blessing. There are 156,000 Asians in Nevada. I don’t know how many are Filipino, but I think it is a lot. More of them should be at our altar rails. Fourth, we have history with the Philippines. We have fought wars against each other (1900-1904) and we have fought wars together, WW II. We have done the Philippines good and we have done the Philippines harm. There is perhaps no country farther away and more culturally different from the United States with which we share so much history. Next steps: I have appointed an ad hoc committee to suggest parish matches. We are working on a list of parishes who want to partner with congregations in the Diocese of Santiago. If your congregation would like to get on board, or even consider the option, let me know. Just call me up or e mail me (dan@episcopalnevada.org) and we’ll talk about it. Remember, these people are already praying for us.
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Our Family Christmas Album The Holy Land: a pilgrim’s journal of the journey
The grot
to in Bet
hlehem.
by Linda Smith, St. Paul’s Sparks 11/9/08 Today, we went to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity where Jesus was born. Bethlehem is close to Jerusalem; however we went a back way to get into the city to avoid Israeli roadblocks. The city of Bethlehem is surrounded by cement walls that are twenty-seven feet tall to keep the Palestinians inside. They are covered with graffiti and are ugly. This is just a taste of the discrimination that the Palestinians put up with from their government. Today is Sunday and we went to the Lutheran Church in Bethlehem called The Christmas Church. The service was in Arabic and I didn’t understand the words, but the service was very familiar and it moved me to tears. It truly is one world and Christians are all brothers and sisters. The hymns sung were all familiar tunes sung in Arabic. I loved it! At the Church of the Nativity, we waited in line for an hour and a half before we were able to go down into the grotto to see where the Christ Child was born. We took pictures quickly and stayed for a very short time because of the sheer numbers of people waiting to take their turn in the grotto. At the Church of the Nativity, there are actually three churches run by different denominations, Greek, Catholic and Armenian. Reverend Mark told us in 2002 when he brought another pilgrim group to the Holy Land there was no line at all and their group went down into the grotto sang Christmas carols and had time to pray. Of course, that meant that there were few tourists and big trouble. This part of the world is so dependant upon the tourism trade that when the tourists don’t come to visit, many literally go hungry. We went into another part of the church to pray and to do our Bible readings. In the afternoon, we spent time shopping in a wonderful tourist shop that had anything from the Holy Land that you could possibly want. I went Christmas shopping and had three olive wood manger scenes sent home for my girls. My sister and I also bought Jerusalem crosses for a remembrance of our trip. We spent the evening journaling and writing post cards.
Colorful dancers and heaps of flowers excite the eyes at Todos Los Santos during the celebration of Guadelupe.
Christmas Play at St. Mary’s, Nixon Photos and footnotes from Jackie Cawelti, St. Mary’s, Nixon This is our picture of our Christmas play, “The True Meaning of Christmas - Jesus is our Lord and Savior!” An adorable play depicting the real meaning of Christmas, a poor boy has nothing give to Jesus but his heart, all children are called to worship Jesus, even Santa Claus comes to worship the new born King!
Back Row: Kolby Davis, Shandon Stump, Hailey Thomas. Middle Rows: Rylee Stump, Emeliegh Mason, Michaela King, Jacob Scharadin, Aliza Lara, Front Row: Cash Hall, Olivia Lara, Jakoby Stump, Tucker Hall, and Eleanor Holden - Organist!
Thank you for everyone who attended, the parents who helped, Heidi McCluskey for leading us in song, and especially Eleanor Holden - who played the organ and dedicated her time to several practices! Eleanor plays on Sunday for both St. Michael’s All Angels and St. Mary’s Nixon.
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At the very end of the play, the children take a bow!
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Camp Galilee It’s going to be another great year at Galilee! A variety of programs are offered from youth programs to adult and family retreats. To register or find out more information about any of our programs, please contact Galilee at (775) 749-5546 or email info@galileetahoe. org.
Memorial Day Weekend Adult Retreat May 27-30, 2011 This retreat allows people to come together and enjoy the beauty of Tahoe in the spring. The structure of the retreat is very relaxed, with optional program provided by Galilee staff and the Rev. Jim Beebe, Rector of St. Patrick’s, Incline Village. This program will include some walks in the woods, kayaking, and discussion time. There will be plenty of time to unwind and enjoy the site, or take advantage of the many activities that the Tahoe basin has to offer. Delicious and fresh meals will be provided by the Food Service Director, Laurie Wesp.
Youth Volunteer Weekend March 18-20, 2011 This weekend is for 14-18 yearsolds who are excited about camp, making new friends, and doing some work to help get camp ready for the summer season. The weekend will include some favorite camp activities (campfire, hiking, games, etc.) in addition to the work projects. There will also be opportunities to learn more about summer positions available, apply, and interview. This is a great way to learn more about working at Galilee, introduce a friend to camp, or just enjoy a weekend of fun and giving back!
Summer Camp – June-August, 2011 There are opportunities for everyone to enjoy some summer fun at Tahoe! We are offering summer camp sessions for ages 7 to 17 and a family camp week. This year we will also be adding a week long backpacking trip for teens. Come experience God’s creation and a welcoming Christian community while hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, and learning more about your own talents and creativity. For more information about our summer camp program call or email Galilee to ensure you’re on the mailing list to receive our summer camp brochure.
Diocesan Women’s Retreat November 4-6, 2011 The women’s retreat is another great opportunity to join other women in worship and reflection on the lake. This retreat will provide time to enjoy the Tahoe area as well as participate in prayer and discussions in a welcoming community of women.
Photos courtesy Stuart Campbell. Camp 2009.
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In The World Nevada focuses on partnership with St. Luc’s; coordinator clarifies the different Episcopal relief programs in Haiti from the Rev. Clelia Garrity, Deacon, Coordinator of NV Haiti Partnership Program
One year following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, the Episcopal Church has launched multiple efforts to assist in the care of the Haitian people and the rebuilding of the Episcopal Church in Haiti. Currently, there are three major initiatives in place. Each one of these important initiatives has a specific focus. When making a decision about contributing to one or more of these relief and re-building programs, it is important to understand the difference between them. The Nevada Diocesan Haiti Relief Effort is a formal relationship between the Episcopal Diocese of Nevada, the Haiti Partnership Program and the Episcopal Church of St. Luc’s Mercerie and its primary and secondary school in Leogane, Haiti. This is a targeted initiative that ensures that the approximately 275 children affiliated with St. Luc’s, and who attend its schools, will be fed on a daily basis and will be able to complete their primary and secondary education. This targeted project provides the hope of a strong spiritual, educational, and nutritional environment for youth who are the future of the Episcopal Church in Haiti. To donate contact garritycpg@ gmail.com Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD) is a national program that has a longstanding history of participating in the
support of the Episcopal Diocese in Haiti. Currently, ERD is engaged in Phase II of their Haiti Earthquake Response. Phase II activities focus on increasing security and engaging local communities in relief efforts by continuing to expand health care services, creating short-term employment and building more stable housing and sanitation facilities. To donate visit http:// www.er-d.org The Rebuild Our Church in Haiti initiative is an approximately $157 million project designed to re-build the infrastructure of the Episcopal Church in Haiti. The first phase of the project focuses on rebuilding the Holy Trinity Cathedral complex, College Ste. Pierre, the seminary, and St. Vincent’s School for the Handicapped – all located in and around in Port au Prince. Bishop Duracin of Haiti has asked that the Episcopal Church in the United States participate in this initiative by contributing $10 million toward the overall $157 million – the total cost of the first phase of this long-term project. To donate visit http://www.episcopalchurch. org/HaitiAppeal All of these projects are of critical importance to the Episcopal Church in Haiti. If you would like more information on any of the projects, please contact Rev. Clelia Garrity, garritycpg@gmail.com, or visit the ERD website.
Haiti support pledged by Episcopal Church’s Province VIII Bishops N E W S from Province VIII Bishops -- January 13, 2011 (213.308.0222)
A commitment to assist in funding the Episcopal Church’s new “Rebuild Our Church in Haiti” initiative was adopted January 13 by Province VIII Bishops, who pledged their own personal financial support together with ongoing relief efforts and diocesan partnerships following the earthquake one year ago. The Bishops expressed their support in a joint statement: “We, the Episcopal Church’s Province VIII Bishops meeting in Los Angeles on January 13, 2011, the Feast of Hilary of Poitiers, remember the first anniversary of the Haiti earthquake by committing ourselves financially -- and with renewed efforts within our dioceses -- to support the Rebuild Our Church in Haiti initiative, including reconstruction of the Holy Trinity
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Cathedral complex in Port-au-Prince, together with ongoing relief efforts and diocesan projects. We call upon all in our dioceses to join this effort with generous support and online giving facilitated through the Episcopal Church Foundation.” Online gifts may be made at www. EpiscopalChurch.org/HaitiAppeal, where further information is also posted. Inquiries may be directed to Terri Mathes of the Episcopal Church Foundation by email, tmathes@episcopalfoundation.org, or by telephone at 717.599.0627. The Episcopal Church’s Province VIII includes the dioceses of Alaska, Arizona, California Eastern Oregon, El Camino Real, Hawaii, Idaho, Los Angeles, Nevada, Northern California, Olympia, Oregon, San Diego, San Joaquin, Spokane, Taiwan, and Utah, and the Navajoland Area Mission.
The altar at St. Luc’s, before the earthquake. It no longer stands.
Episcopalians Helping Episcopalians: Rebuilding the Soul of a Nation in Haiti January 3, 2011, New York, NY
When the earthquake hit Haiti in January 2010, nearly all the church buildings in the Diocese of Haiti were effectively leveled, including Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-au-Prince. The Diocese of Haiti is the largest Diocese in The Episcopal Church, and in addition to the spiritual and pastoral care people expect from the Church, the Diocese of Haiti also provides many of the services generally provided by the government, including healthcare, education, and cultural resources. The people of The Episcopal Church can rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral. Home of the famous murals that depicted the Biblical narrative, the Cathedral was a beacon in a land where strength of faith is inversely proportional to economic development. The Cathedral site was also home to Holy Trinity Music School, Holy Trinity Professional School, and the primary and secondary schools. The Rt. Rev. Jean Zaché Duracin, Bishop of Haiti, has asked for help. The Episcopal Church, acting through the Executive Council, is asking all Episcopalians to join in this initial phase of rebuilding the Diocese of Haiti, beginning with Holy Trinity Cathedral. As they say in Haiti, “Men anpil chay pa lou”, or many hands make the load lighter. The Episcopal Church Foundation
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(ECF) is coordinating this Churchwide appeal, and in January will be providing news, information, and resources so congregations and dioceses throughout The Episcopal Church can join in this fundraising effort. Even before the official launch, several dioceses designated their convention offerings for this effort. Nearly half of the diocesan bishops are in the planning process for work in their diocese. And contributions have already been received from as far away as Brisbane, Australia, and Paris. In the meantime, individuals can be leaders in rebuilding the central pillar of support that once provided spiritual, educational, and medical care to hundreds of thousands of Haitians. Anyone can participate; just $10 “buys a brick” to rebuild The Episcopal Church in Haiti. For more information and to donate, visitwww. EpiscopalChurch.org/HaitiAppeal. “The people of Haiti have lost the cultural symbol of their gathering place for the worship of God,” noted the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, speaking in support of this appeal. “It’s going to take the resources of the entire Episcopal Church to serve the reconstruction needs of the buildings of the Diocese.” FOR INFORMATION: Teresa S. Mathes, Episcopal Church Foundation 717-599-0627 TMathes@EpiscopalFoundation.org
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Journey to The Holy Land: a pilgrim’s journal WALKING THE STATIONS, cont’d from front page
his mother. The Armenian church of Our Lady of the Spasm marks the spot where Jesus, carrying the cross, meets his mother Mary. The fifth station is where the Cyrenian helps Jesus carry the cross. The fifth station is commemorated by a Franciscan Chapel, and this is where the Via Dolorosa begins the ascent to Golgotha. At the sixth station Veronica wipes the dust and dirt from Jesus’ face. This station is at the Church of Saint Veronica and belongs to the Little Sisters of Jesus. At the seventh station Jesus falls for the second time. Two chapels connected by a flight of steps mark the site where Jesus fell for the second time under the weight of the cross. At the seventh station it is believed that here was the Gate of Judgment through which Jesus left the city on his way to Golgotha. The eighth station is where Jesus consoles the daughters of Jerusalem. I drew this reading and so I read: A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’
Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and To the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if they do this when the wood is Green , what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:27-31) On the wall of the Greek monastery of Saint Charalambos is a stone with a Latin cross and an inscription reading “Jesus Christ is victorious.” The eighth station is believed to be outside the city walls of Jerusalem in Jesus time. At the ninth station Jesus falls for the third time. There is a column built into the door of the Coptic Church that marks the site where Jesus fell for the third time. From this spot he could see the place of crucifixion. “And he went a little further and fell on his face, and prayed, saying O my Father, if it
be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39) The last five Stations of the Cross are inside the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher. The tenth station Jesus is stripped of his garments. The eleventh station Jesus is nailed to the cross. Beautiful mosaics adorn the place where Jesus was crucified.“ So they took Jesus, and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them.” (John 19:1718) The twelfth station is where Jesus dies on the cross .A Greek Orthodox chapel marks the site of the death of Jesus. The altar in this chapel has a silver disc beneath it marking the exact spot where the cross stood. At the thirteenth station Jesus is taken down from the cross. An altar called the Stone of Anointing marks the spot where Mary received the body of Jesus after he had been removed from the cross. It is there where his body was anointed for burial. At the fourteenth station, Jesus is placed in the Tomb. “And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock.” (Matthew 27: 59-60)
Praying in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, at the site of the Crucifixion.
The Holy Sepulcher, the holiest place is Christendom, lies in the center of the Rotunda in a richly decorated edicule. The tomb was originally in a cave hewn in the rock, and the Rotunda was built over and around it. The sacred rock is covered with marble and above it are paintings depicting the Resurrection. The tomb itself is covered by a smooth marble slab, which has been in place since 1555. Over the tomb, forty-two lamps: thirteen each for the Latins, Greek Orthodox, and Armenians and four for the Copts, burn day and night. When we finished our walk, the shops were beginning to open for the day and the crowds of people forming. We made our way back to Saint George’s for breakfast. Later that day, we took the bus to Emmaus and Ein Karem and visited an archeology site of 4th5th century ruins. There were also 1st Century grave sites. While there, we celebrated communion in an outdoor chapel. Afterwards, we went on to the Church of the Visitation where Mary visited her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. On the walls in the church was printed in many different languages, the Magnificat. The Church of the Visitation is said to have been built over the home of Elizabeth and Zacharias. It was built in 1935 over the site of previous churches, the first from the 4th century. Later in the evening at dinner, we found out that November 15th is Palestinian Independence Day. This is an important day in Palestinian history. The cook explained to us the special food that he had prepared for us in celebration of this day. It was cooked in a big pot and after grace, he took the pot and turned it upside down onto a huge platter. Levels of meat, vegetables and rice fell out of the pot into a big mound on the platter. This food was flavored with Mediterranean spices and a taste of cinnamon. It was delicious and wonderful.
In November of 2008, Linda Smith lived her dream of traveling to the Holy Land. I am deeply grateful for her willingness to share these journal entries with readers of The Desert Spirit. May her stories inspire you to deeper reflection, deeper faith as we walk together into the season of Lent. -HM, ed.
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c o m m u n i t y Filipino Convocation Slated for July in Las Vegas The Filipino Convocation of the Episcopal Asiamerica Ministry will be holding its convocation meeting during the weekend of July 8-10 here in Las Vegas, NV. Our Convener is Fr. Bayani Rico. The theme will be focused on the Youth, and delegates will be coming from the Youths of all the Filipino ministries nationwide. Thank you so much. Blesssings, Bernadette N.Yalung-Almodiel Holy Child Filipino American Ministries All Saints Episcopal Church, Las Vegas
Evangelism in Our Church Today: Our mission is to invite, welcome, and embrace our surrounding communities
Members as Missionaries Saturday, February 5, 2011 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 1135 12th Street, Sparks Discover how you can enrich your church’s community through your call to seek and serve those whom you welcome into your congregation.
Specific evangelism tools will be discussed – everything from Facebook to Scripture. Refreshments will be served. OPEN TO ALL CONGREGATIONS For information call 1-775-428-1649 Photos below are from Bishop Dan’s visit to the Diocese of Santiago, Philippines
Bishop Dan meets with youth in the Diocese of Santiago, Philippines.
The Church’s Educational Ministry Our keynote speaker for Convention 2010, the Rev. Susanna Singer, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Ministry Development and Director, Doctor of Ministry Programs, Church Divinity School of the Pacific. She is author of the following piece, originally published in Pacific Church News, Summer 2010. Imagine a group of children sitting in a Sunday School classroom on a Sunday morning. There is a teacher, a lesson taken from a curriculum — probably based on a Bible story — there are snacks and crafts and perhaps games. The children, all within a particular age-range, have arrived as church is beginning, and they will rejoin their families at the peace, and remain in church for communion. This may be the image that comes immediately to mind when we hear the phrase “the church’s educational ministry.” School-based, age-graded, in a classroom, teacher-led, driven by curriculum, timespecific. Above all, this image portrays the church’s educational ministry as primarily for children, passing on the content of the faith to the young. But what do we see if we expand our perspective? Perhaps a group of older adults participates faithfully in a mid-week Bible study, where fellowship and mutual support are as central as the content studied. Or a Sunday evening youth group combines high-
energy games and music with a conversation that strives to help teens find meaning in the Christian faith. A Saturday morning baptism preparation class for new parents aims to unpack and enrich the experience of bringing an infant for baptism. A diocesan-wide event offers training for specific liturgical functions and pastoral ministries. Can we broaden our vision further? Can the church educate across generations, beyond the boundaries of classroom or events? What about an intergenerational retreat where adults, youth, and children explore Scripture together through art, dance, and drama? How can preaching open the Scriptures to multiple age-groups? How would a class for new parents benefit from seasoned grandparents acting as leaders and sponsors? Could older adults visit a Sunday School class to tell and talk about beloved Bible continued on page DS11
Journey to The Holy Land: a pilgrim’s journal JERUSALEM by Linda Smith: 11/11/08 The bus leaves at 7:30 sharp for another fabulous and full day of learning and experiencing all there is to see and do here in Jerusalem. Our first stop is the Western Wall. This is the last vestige of the Second Temple that was destroyed in 70 AD. Jews and others gather here to pray and leave written prays in the cracks and crevasses of the wall. There is a separate area for men and a separate area for women. We aren’t in the mood to cry “discrimination” as we don’t want to cause the Israeli’s to come after us. So we decide in our heads to keep quiet. Isn’t there a saying “When in Rome, do as the Romans do?” Basicly, I prayed for my family and friends, coworkers, for those who are sick and suffering, for those who have died, for the Anglican Communion, for Katharine Jefferts-Schori and Rowan Williams, the congregation and priests at St. Paul’s church. I also prayed for the new president Barack Obama and his family. The wall is the place closest to the “Holy Of Holies” or the believed holiest place on earth. The Jews actually believe the Holiest Place
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on earth is on Mount Moriah which is inside the Muslim Temple of the Dome of the Rock. There is a place under the Western Wall where visitors and pilgrims can take a tour to see excavations dating back to King Solomon. These excavations are fifty feet down and you can walk along the ancient Herodian Street, along which Jesus may have walked. We were able to take this tour one evening and it was well worth the time. Under the Western Wall at the place that is the closest to the Holy Of Holies there are Hasidic Jews bowing and praying. They have on their black coats and hats and they are very serious at their prayers. We had to go through a security check point to go to the Western Wall and then again to go to the court yard of the Dome of the Rock. We were unable to go inside the Dome of the Rock because in 2004, Ariel Sharon came into the court yard and after that the Muslim community became frightened and closed all visitations to the public. My nephew and his wife in the year 1998 were able to go inside this mosque, see JOURNEY, next page
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Journey to The Holy Land: a pilgrim’s journal cont’d from prev. page
and my nephew said it was the “most fascinating” building he has ever seen. He said it was the highlight of their trip to the Holy Land. So, needless to say, we were disappointed that we were unable to go inside. On this day, we also went to a simple Catholic church called Saint Anne’s. Saint Anne’s is one of the best preserved and finest examples of a church built during the Crusader period. It is known for its perfect acoustics. Groups of pilgrims go into this church prepared to sing and so when it was our turn we sang. We sounded pretty good in that church. Very close by Saint Anne’s is the Pool of Bethesda. In 1871, excavations uncovered two large rectangular pools. These pools
are described in John 5:2 as the pools of Bethesda where Jesus performed the miracle of healing the crippled man. The pools are divided into sections. It is believed that sacrificial animals were washed in one of the pools before being sacrificed in the Temple. We gathered at the Pool of Bethesda and read John 5:2. Next we went to the bus to go to the Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu. This is the place where Peter denied Christ three times, and is built on the site of the house of Caiphas, the High Priest at the time of Jesus. There are authentic 1st Century stone steps that are thought to lead up to Caiphas’s house. Today, they lead up to the church. These ancient stairs are worn smooth by many footsteps over the centuries. It was exciting to walk on these stairs knowing that Jesus and his disciples walked on these
Pilgrims pray at the Western Wall.
St. Stephen’s Church held its last service on November 21st. The people of St. Stephen’s have each, with time, been settling into one of the other three Episcopal parishes in Reno-Sparks and have received warm and generous welcomes by these congregations. Upon the close of St. Stephen’s the Standing Committee appointed one of its members, The Rev. Stefani Schatz, Rector at Trinity Church Reno to assist with an orderly transition from an Episcopal congregation to getting the building ready to lease. The Rev. Joe Duggan, the former Community Priest at St. Stephen’s Church is
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We drove to a little Palestinian town called Taybeh for lunch. This is the home town of our guide, Iyad. We ate at a restaurant on a hill overlooking the town. They served us spicy chicken on a large pita that filled the plate. There were cooked onions, olive oil, and vinegar. It was a very delicious Mediterranean meal. After lunch, we walked to Iyad’s aunt’s house. She invited us all in to meet her and visit and see her very small house. We took turns going in to see her and she was very sweet to serve us Arabic coffee. She was elderly, but never married and
1st century stairs, thought to lead up to the house of Caiphas
In Nov. 2008, Linda Smith lived her dream of traveling to the Holy Land. May her stories inspire you to deeper reflection, deeper faith.
Dome of the Rock
Jerusalem photos courtesy of Richard Anderson, Photographer and fellow pilgrim.
What’s Up with the Property of the former St. Stephen’s Church? Report by the Rev. Joseph F. Duggan
very stairs. There is also a dungeon down in the bowels of this church and we were given permission to go down into the dungeon. It is possible that Jesus spent one night in this dungeon before going to see Caiphas.
is very happy in her own little place. Iyad was our interpreter because none of us speak Arabic and his little aunt didn’t speak English. After our visit, we walked to a ceramic factory where they make oil burning lamps made in the shape of a dove. The lamps are made by the Olive Branch Foundation of Taybeh for the International appeal to pray for peace in the Holy Land. I bought a small lamp as did my sister. During this recent war starting on December 27th, I’ve been burning my lamp and praying for peace. The Palestinian Christians are working for peace, praying for peace, and they sincerely want peace to come to this part of the world.
serving as the Standing Committee’s building and property coordinator. Given the state of the economy the Diocese has not been inclined to sell the property if a lease can be negotiated to meet the interests of the Diocese and the prospective tenant. It is possible that the lease agreement will include an option to buy as congregations have expressed interest in this potential. The goal is to have a leasee/tenant in place by March 1 or sooner. Even without any advertising, a dozen churches have expressed their interest in leasing the building. Preliminary contacts have been made with these churches and letters of intent to use the property
were received in early January. The Standing Committee is continuing to work with selected congregations to determine the best fit for the property with its associated monthly/annual costs to maintain. In the meantime there has been some administrative work to close the books of St. Stephen’s, close service accounts such as telephone, email, write the final check to the Diocese, prepare for an audit of the financial statements of the closed parish, transfer records to the Diocese and prepare some items for archives at local libraries including UNR and the Historical Society. A major coordination task has been working with all the churches of the Diocese to redistribute St. Stephen’s furnishings and other items. Most of the furnishings have stayed in Northern
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Nevada parishes including some items going to Camp Galilee. The goal is to remove everything but the pews and possibly the altar and organ by January 15. Some items unclaimed may go into storage and other items will be given to the St. Vincent De Paul Society. The building will be professionally cleaned after January 15. Prayers are welcomed for the people of St. Stephen’s Church as they continue to find fulfillment in their new congregations, for the Standing Committee and for the prospective congregations with whom the Diocese is in discussions. We are confident that the Spirit will continue to lead all those responsible to seeing that the property of the Diocese is used for the greater glory of God.
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Christian Formation Reports on grant work go to Roanridge Trust and the Domestic Mission Partnership: funding of ministry development and Christian formation programs in Nevada continue for 2011 Report from Canon Educator Chuck McCray
I want to share with our diocesan family the summary reports that we filed with the two funding agencies for our project in ministry development and Christian formation in 2010. Both of the agencies, the Roanridge Trust and the Domestic Mission Partnership have continued funding for these innovative programs in the coming year. We have also been awarded a seed grant for the development of a “Miners’ Fellowship” ministry in 2011.
Grant Report Overview: Much of our grants were used to begin the process of establishing lay ministry developers throughout the diocese in networks of regional ministry development collaboratives of geographically related congregations, to be supported through the work of a contract ministry developer. The process of identifying regional ministry developers and beginning their training took the better part of 2010. We also discovered that there was a greater need for relationship and trust building among parishes, for this diocesan wide ministry development program, than had been anticipated. The program is on track with its original goals, only the time frame has changed. A primary measure of success has been through the identification of persons who will serve as regional lay ministry developers. Fourteen persons have shown an active interest in the disciplines of ministry development and nine of those persons are actively engaged in the process of discerning this as a vocation in their lives. These persons along with others in the diocese have taken an introductory course in Ministry Development that was offered by The Episcopal Divinity School through the
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sponsorship of the Diocese of Nevada that was made possible by the grants awarded us by the Roanridge Trust and the Domestic Mission Partnership. This same generosity allowed our contract ministry developer to promote and offer this course to persons from five other dioceses across the USA. Perhaps our greatest insights were found in the patience that was required in establishing relationships with our congregations throughout the diocese. It was an early assumption that this project would have found a more ready and receptive welcome (given that this project was lay generated and lay lead, focused on the ministry of all the baptized, in a diocese with a thirty year ethos of total ministry). Much of the early days of the project were spent with the contract ministry developer seeking an invitation to visit congregations in order to present the ideas of ministry development. That effort has been amply rewarded with the overall response to opportunities to engage in this renaissance of ministry development throughout our diocese.
Highlights: Hiring a contract diocesan ministry developer We have accomplished one of the major tasks per the grant as written, namely the hiring of a contracted person to serve in the position of a contract diocesan ministry developer. Identifying persons to serve as regional ministry developers We have engaged nine persons (more have shown an interest) in the process of discerning a vocation to serve as a ministry developer to congregations in the wide spread regions of our diocese. Thanks to the Domestic Mission Partnership grant, fourteen persons, our ministry developers
among them, were able to take an on-line Introduction to Ministry Development class through the Episcopal Divinity School. In addition to the diocese of Nevada representatives of five other diocese were also able to take this class. Creating Regional Ministry Collaboratives Through-out this year we have begun to see the beginnings of active collaboration in four regions of our diocese. In these regions congregations share ministry resources and the hope is that this resource share will be further aided by the discernment and training of the regional ministry developers. Developing classes to support the ministry of all the baptized Working under the name of the Frensdorff School of Christian Formation (our revived diocesan school of theology, with the educational philosophy “all classes for all the baptized”) we are listening and responding to our congregations’ calls for various types of formation programs. These programs have been offered as multi-parish discipleship formation, roving workshops and online classes. Technological support via Adobe Connect and Presenter With the financial support of the Roanridge Trust and Domestic Mission Partnership, our diocese acquired a subscription to online meeting rooms using Adobe Connect Pro. This has greatly boosted our ability to bridge the 110,000 sq miles and 312 mountain ranges that are a part of our diocese. We sub allocated one of our Adobe host accounts to Province VII of the Episcopal Church in support of the Western Episcopal Educators, and so have been able to facilitate meetings for that important group in our church. We continue to offer classes we are
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Canon Chuck McCray
developing to participants of other diocese around the country. Changing the paradigm to lifelong Christian formation We encourage persons in our diocese to grasp the larger picture of how our historic ethos of “total ministry” fits into the larger paradigm of lifelong Christian formation. We are moving beyond skills oriented Christian education programs into discipleship programs. We are slowly bringing the language of lifelong Christian formation in to our Nevada lexicon by promoting the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation, and made lifelong Christian formation the theme of our diocesan convention in 2010. Our work has just begun in these areas. It is a blessing to both our diocese and the wider church that we in Nevada are again taking bold steps in seeking to actualize the call to “total ministry” now in a new time as much as we did a generation ago. Of course we have learned along the way, like the words of the old hymn, “New occasions teach new duties.... they must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth” (Hymn 519 in Hymnal 1940). But those early visions for the ministry of all the baptized continue to be our companion along the way upward and onward as we “dream of a church with a radically renewed concept and practice of ministry” (Bishop Wes Frensdorff, “The Dream: A Church Renewed”) Chuck is still seeking invitation to visit congregations Please contact him to visit your parish; he has more than a dozen different workshops you can choose for him to present to your congregation. Call (775) 232-5074 or by email at frensdorff.school@gmail.com
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What would happen if our committees and working groups anchored their business in study and reflection that went deeper than the usual opening prayer? Story begins on page DS8. stories? What value would be added to youth confirmation classes if older sponsors participated, and if sessions for parents and youth together were offered? What would happen if our committees and working groups anchored their business in study and reflection that went deeper than the usual opening prayer? Our vision is widening. Can we imagine education happening beyond the physical and programmatic boundaries of the congregation? An Education For Ministry group includes members of several local congregations, discussing how faith connects to life using tried and tested methods of theological reflection. An Area Ministry team is formed in the crucible of action and reflection: exploring the neighborhood, building relationships with each other and with people and groups outside the church, beginning shared action, committing to ongoing prayer and discernment. Young adults talk politics and faith at Theology on Tap at a local bar. Adults
Could older adults visit a Sunday School class to tell and talk about beloved Bible stories? What value would be added to youth confirmation classes if older sponsors participated, and if sessions for parents and youth together were offered? who work downtown meet for a book group at Starbucks. Young parents hold their spiritual support group in a local park once a month and organize an in-home parenting class open to the neighborhood. An Episcopal school partners with local environmental action groups for service learning. A congregation offers households of all shapes and sizes ideas and resources for devotion, conversation, and action — helping them claim their role as the “domestic church.” These images bring into focus the connections between faith and life, and the imperative to witness to others through our words and actions. What kinds of education will best support our Christian lives in the world? How could preaching offer worked examples that help Christians think through the ethical issues we face every day? How do our schools express Episcopalian identity, heritage, and values in the
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The Church’s Educational Ministry Keynote speaker for our 2010 Convention, the Rev. Susanna Singer asks, “ Can the church educate across generations, beyond the boundaries of classroom or events?”
wider, interfaith community? How do youth and camp programs welcome and include unchurched friends of Episcopalian teenagers and give them a taste of life in Christ? Would a confirmation program that asked teens to do active ministry in the world help them own and live the faith they are professing for themselves? How do we uncover the connections between faith and politics, service and justice, fellowship and advocacy, relationship and witness, and take our faith into the world in tangible ways? As our diocese discerns and makes real the new vision of Area Ministry, what new ways of educating, forming and supporting different kinds of discipleship will we need? We’ve come a long way from that Sunday School classroom. Some may be wondering if I am simply claiming that everything the church does constitutes its educational ministry — and feeling rightly suspicious, because once we say that “everything is education,” it is easy to abrogate responsibility for making anything specifically educational happen at all. We may have questions about terminology, too. Is “education” really the best word for the kinds of broad, multi-faceted activities I have been describing: learning that goes way beyond the bounds of content-based programs, encompassing and shaping the whole of Christian life, inside and outside the church? The debate about terminology — whether this essential ministry of the church is properly called education or formation or something quite different — can easily become a distraction from claiming the most central characteristic of the church’s educational ministry: it is transformational. It opens pathways for the Holy Spirit to change us, so we can change our world. It assists us as we become more fully who we are in Christ, by virtue of our baptism, and live out that identity and calling at every stage and in every part of our lives. Our Christian identity is always dynamic and emerging. It has a beginning, but no end; we are on our way to nothing less than life eternal as we grow into the full stature of Christ. And on the way we participate in the transformation of this world into a place where the divine plan is fully realized among all people. Transformation is at the heart of the Christian DNA, and at the heart of the church’s educational ministry. The breathtaking scope of this mandate to be transformed ourselves
and to transform our world, and the frankly unpromising setting in which we are called to live it out, means that the church’s educational ministry needs to be intentionally part of everything the church is and does. Our hearts, minds, wills, and actions are being shaped at all times and in all places, and the world in which we live has a number of sophisticated and not always benign agendas for who and what we should become. If we are to reject the roles of uncritical consumer, passive bystander, or entitled achiever that are offered to us on a daily basis, the church had better provide a robust alternative. Our immersion in the stories and practices of our culture must be countered by an immersion in the shaping stories and practices of our faith. We must develop habits of feeling, thinking, and reflecting that help us make real choices about how we live, what we commit to, where
Our immersion in the stories and practices of our culture must be countered by an immersion in the shaping stories and practices of our faith. we place our highest values. So yes, everything the church is and does — our worship, preaching, relationships, conversations, ministry, service, witness, action — contributes to the process of forming us as Christian disciples. And some activities need to be more intentionally and specifically focused on that educational goal. These reflections lead me to offer a series of foundational commitments for the church’s educational ministry, to provide food for thought and conversation in this diocese at a time when we are discerning and shaping new ways of being the church. Imagine the scope of the church’s educational ministry as it becomes: • Essential, not optional, no longer providing “nice to have” information or enrichment, but a vital force for transforming lives and the world; • Passionate, purposeful and rigorous, aware of the stakes, empowering disciples who are actively growing, living committed, reflective Christian lives, able to witness to in word and action; • Holistic, embodied in the whole life of the ministering community, intentionally leveraging
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every activity and conversation and relationship to support Christians in becoming who we are called to be in our baptism; • Outward- as much as inwardfacing, committed to forming religious identity that is both grounded in deep personal faith and alive in the world, opening doors between faith and life; • Broad and open in location, happening in unconventional settings: in homes, schools, workplaces and public spaces, as well as within the sanctuary, classroom and fellowship hall; • Promiscuous and welcoming towards all sorts of participants: open to the curious, the unbeliever, the skeptic, and to people of goodwill of all faiths and none who seek partners for study, reflection and conversation about the Christian way and the common good; • Generous and self-emptying, eager to move into the community at large and engage all people of good will, not bound up in our Episcopalian “brand identity,” willing to witness to the good news at all times, and when necessary, to use words; • Lifelong and multigenerational, enabling the particular gifts of every age-group to enrich the evolving Christian identity of us all; • Local and contextual, always specific, usually home-grown, never assuming that “one size fits all;” • Innovative and imaginative, immersing Christians in the stories and images and rituals of faith, providing a diversity of resources, creative in design and execution, flexible in form and audacious in expectations. It’s a tall order, it’s an exciting calling, to imagine what the church’s educational ministry could be and to rise to the challenge of making that a reality. Resources abound — as a seminary professor and former School for Deacons faculty member I long to welcome more “regular” professing Christians to the classes and events we have typically offered to “the professionals.” As a former diocesan educator I rejoice to see curriculum materials, training, retreats, consulting and support of all kinds continually available to all. As a Christian educator and congregation member I wonder how the new books, journals and curricula, emerging online and media resources, innovative ways of gathering and learning together, will be embraced and used and expanded in this diocese. The church’s educational ministry is transforming itself in our midst!
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Bits and Pieces Reflection by the Rev. Jim Kelley, Trinity Reno Recently we’ve obtained copies of a greatly expanded version of what was previously known as Lesser Feasts and Fasts, about some of our predecessors in the faith. In addition to very succinct information about the lives of these extraordinary people who go back to the beginning of our Christian experience or who might precede us by only two or three generations, we are offered Scripture readings that exemplify the labors and virtues of their lives. St. Hilary of Poitiers affords a good example. Born to pagan parents, he wasn’t baptized until he was an adult. Then his community, recognizing his gifts insisted he be ordained and shortly after made him their bishop. His teaching about the Trinity, however, placed him in conflict with the Arians, who drove him into exile for three years. Upon his return to his diocese he continued to teach, preach and write, and to guide his community in its faith. The reading from John’s first letter speaks clearly to Hilary’s experience with the Arians: “They went out from us, but did not belong to us.” (1John 2: 19b) So also the reading from the Gospel of Luke: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.” (Luke 12: 8) In addition, the psalm (119: 97104), beginning “How I love your law,” expresses in heartfelt manner Hilary’s motivation for the choices he made in his life. Which might lead each of us to ask ourselves: What is my favorite Scripture passage? Why is it so? And most important perhaps, what does this passage tell me about how I am leading my life and the motives that propel me? Through it what is God telling me about my relationship with God? And how I might improve that relationship?
What’s the BUZZ? social networks: the workhorse of effective communication
episcopaldioceseofnevada @groups.facebook.com
People in the diocese – me included – are still dissatisfied with communications, and rightly so. Technology, contemporary media, and the internet have increased our expectations in the area of organizational communications without a corresponding awareness of our role as participants. At work, of course, we are required to communicate with little regard for relationships, and there are often formal, automated systems in place to make sure the right people get the right information at the right time. But we know that the heart of God’s work here lives in our relationships with each other and creation. If we could diagram those relationships and build some system to automatically feed information through it, we would essentially be handing our relationships to an unthinking, unfeeling machine. (The closest we get to this are the address lists and Google Groups we build – we don’t have any other such system in the diocese. Participants in these systems have to manage their settings carefully to avoid email overload, a skill many of us digital immigrants are still working to acquire.) In an automated system, we would be relieved of the responsibility to maintain our close ties, relieved of the burden to listen carefully to a lot of chaff to find wheat, relieved of the joy of discovering shared dreams, prayers and encouraging words. 2010 ushered in a new era for communications in the Diocese of Nevada. We subscribed to Adobe Connect Pro and migrated meetings and classes into a standard videoconference format. We recruited and trained hosts, and shared our subscription with Province VIII. Frensdorff School partnered with Roanridge Trust to deliver online classes attended by lay and clergy people from our diocese and many others. We established toll-free phone lines to support mission group, staff, committee and district conference calls. The work that carries us into 2011 includes improving Convention communications, the diocesan website, and email/information systems
Ministry Developers, Parish Educators and Communicators use Google Groups to plan, exchange ideas, and information with a vision of establishing a dynamic, thriving online community. Online may sound impersonal at first. The last several years of communications work in the diocese has proven that there is no single method that works for everyone, and that our best communications do spring from close relationships. We look to each other to solve problems, find resources, build support and celebrate accomplishments, and our diocese is no exception. We get our communications framework from the network of our relationships, complete with imperfections. All of our online efforts are grounded in this understanding, and we are exploring common ways we can use technology to build a sense of community for 3,000+ people in 34 parishes across 110,000 square miles and 312 mountain ranges. Despite the costbenefit of email, websites, Facebook, Constant Contact, Adobe Connect Pro, and Google Forums, we still have a lot of people who choose not to use technology to communicate – and that’s fine as long as folks can still get information through their friends, parishes, Sunday bulletins, announcements, newsletters and the diocesan paper. My promise as Communications Officer to you is that we will use every means available to publish news and information within the resources we are given, and that we will take steps to protect any personal information you entrust to us. We don’t sell or otherwise provide our contact lists to anyone for any reason. A new diocesan website with an eye for community is in the works; we are revamping the ways we communicate with delegates to Convention, and plan to offer online
Frensdorff School holds online classes; Deans, Deacons, Staff, comittees and commissions migrate to online video conferencing registration for Convention this year. Even with the miracles of technology, I expect some folks and some important messages will be missed along the way, and I ask for your continued grace as we imperfectly explore and employ technology and the ways it can help us improve our communications. In the meantime, let’s all stay in touch with our friends. Gobs of grace, Hallie Murphy Editor & Communications Officer nvepiscopalcommo@gmail.com
To start a Google Group or a Parish Facebook Group, call or email Ellie at the diocesan office for help ellie@episcopalnevada.org Phone (702) 737-9190 Office Hours Mon-Fri 7:30am - 1:30pm
PRINT UPDATE To use an online meeting room for your Mission Group or District, call or email Hallie at her home-diocesan office nvepiscopalcommo@gmail.com Phone (775) 741-5194
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We plan to publish The Desert Spirit in print and online four times this year; February, May, September, and December. Our paper is a journal of our life together, a place to share the many ways we live out our faith and baptism in the world. I am ever grateful for the stories and pictures you send, for the inspiration of faith you share, and for what the stories tell us about us in every issue. Keep ‘em coming! You may know by now that the national church cut from its budget the printing and mailing of Episcopal News Monthly, formerly Episcopal Life. The January 2011 issue was the last national church-sponsored Episcopal newspaper you’ll get. The good news is that several former editors and printing partners stuck together and will continue a partnership in support of our diocesan papers, along with a monthly national paper called Episcopal Journal. We are happy to be part of that partnership; if you subscribe to the monthly national paper, your subscription will continue uninterrupted. If you have changes you want to make to your subscription, please contact me. The national subscriptions are organized by parish – if you are on the Vestry and have questions about your subscriber list, please contact me.
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