FALL 2011
THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NORTH CAROLINA
The Botswana Exchange:
A walk beside
into the mystery
of god Ancient Liturgy Brings New Life to Worship
for the children
The Remarkable Story of Thompson
contents
table of
FALL 2011
features
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Diocesan House 200 West Morgan Street, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27601-1338 PHONE: 919.834.7474 TOLL FREE: 800.448.8775 FAX: 919.834.8775 The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina Bishop The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry michael.curry@episdionc.org Diocesan House: 919.834.7474
God is Not Finished with Us Yet Botswana Exchange: A Walk Beside
Assistant Bishop The Rt. Rev. William O. Gregg william.gregg@episdionc.org Office of the Assistant Bishop: 704.332.7746
My Church Into the Mystery of God: Participation in Ancient Liturgy Brings New Life to Worship
Assisting Bishop The Rt. Rev. Alfred C. “Chip” Marble Jr. alfred.marble@episdionc.org Office of the Assisting Bishop: 336.273.5770
Harry Potter Comes to Church Diocesan Convention 2012 The Dailyness of It
PUBLISHER
Bishop of North Carolina
Diocesan Convention Information
EDITOR / ART DIRECTOR
“Peace Pals”: Forming Friendships, Building Trust in North Carolina
Sarah Herr: sarah.herr@episdionc.org COPY EDITING
NetsforLife Campaign Updates
Beth Grace Summerlee Walter
Top 10 (+1) Tips for Creating a Thriving Young Adult Community in your Congregation
CONTRIBUTORS IN THIS ISSUE
The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry Beth Crow Blythe Riggan Becca Bland The Rev. George M. Clifford, III David C. McDuffie Pam Hatley The Rev. Steve Rice The Rev. Chantal McKinney The Rt. Rev. William O. Gregg, Ph.D Marlene Weigert Summerlee Walter Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill
Dream Sabbath Province IV Environmental Ministries: Connecting Ecology with the Worship Life of the Church Of Speed Limits and Sabbaticals For the Children: The Unique and Remarkable Story of Thompson Child & Family Focus Compline
departments & more
SUBSCRIPTIONS / CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Scott Welborn: scott.welborn@episdionc.org
21 Events, Briefs & Clergy Changes 32 Bishops’ Visitations
SUBMISSIONS
All submissions welcome and considered for publication. Email submissions to sarah.herr@episdionc.org. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Are published on the diocesan website under “The NC Disciple.” ON THE COVER
Photo taken during High Mass at St. Timothy’s, WinstonSalem. Pictured, from back to front, are The Rev. Steve Rice, SCP (celebrant), The Rev. Mary Kroohs (deacon), and Larry Conrad (subdeacon). Photographer: Emily Menter
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The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
Share the good news Online with Digital Faith Shortly after Convention 2011, the Diocese of North Carolina announced that its parishes, missions and campus organizations could receive free access to Digital Faith, a straightforward content management system that allows parishes to build websites on the same platform as the diocesan website. In addition to being free, Digital Faith requires no previous programming or website-building skills. (Although, if your congregation does include a programmer, the system provides ample opportunities for creativity.) Video tutorials are available online, and Digital Faith offers users easy-to-
access, easy-to-understand technical support. These sites are smart-phone optimized, social media enabled and search engine optimized. Several parishes and college fellowships have already built websites using Digital Faith. See a few examples above. For more information about the content management system, visit Digital Faith at http://www.digitalfaith.org/. To schedule a Digital Faith online demo, contact the diocesan Communications Director, Sarah Herr, at sarah.herr@ episdionc.org.
ATTENTION CHURCHES: Have you updated your member lists with the Diocesan Office? The Diocese is attempting to update the Disciple mailing list. Contact Scott Welborn at scott.welborn@episdionc.org for more details.
ABOUT
At a Glance Facts: This Magazine... The North Carolina Disciple is the quarterly magazine of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. Other diocesan communication vehicles are used for more time-sensitive, day-to-day news, including Around the Diocese, a monthly bulletin insert; Please Note, a weekly e-newsletter; and the Diocesan website, www.episdionc.org. Contact Sarah Herr at sarah.herr@episdionc.org with any questions or feedback regarding these communications, or to submit ideas, articles and photos.
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Is printed with soy inks, which are more environmentally friendly than traditional petroleum-based inks.
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Is printed on FSC certified paper - paper certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council, an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests.
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Is printed and mailed in Henderson, North Carolina. The printer has been utilizing an internal paper recycling system for paper production since 1995.
Delivery occurs in the early part of the following months: Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
September / Fall Issue December / Winter Issue March / Spring Issue June / Summer Issue The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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From the Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry, Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina
God
IS NOT
Finished With Us Yet
It was only a few weeks after the attacks on 9/11 that I was on a plane headed for a meeting of the House of Bishops in Burlington, Vermont. The airports and the flights were eerily empty. On the final connection into Burlington, only a few of us were on board. I found myself sitting across the aisle from a gentleman whose appearance, I am ashamed to say, caused me to think twice. He broke the silence and introduced himself. He was a physician from Pakistan. He said he was a devout Muslim who was ashamed of what had happened in the name of his faith. As we talked, I at one point shared that I had eyed him a bit closely, suspecting that he was from a Muslim country. He quickly said, “I was sort of keeping my eyes on you, too.” He asked about my faith and I told him that I was a Christian. He then asked if I would like to pray. So we prayed together. We didn’t try to merge our two traditions. If I remember correctly, he prayed first, as a Muslim. Then I prayed, as a Christian. We prayed aloud for each other, for our families, for the victims and families hurt by the attacks of 9/11. We did so out of the integrity of our faith traditions, not compromising either one of them, but making room and space for the other. As we lived into the depth of our faith traditions with openness to each other, we moved beyond ourselves and were drawn closer to God. And as we drew closer to God, to the God who created us all, we drew closer to each other as children of the one God and Father of us all. At thousands of feet in the air, that was an experience of worship for me. It
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evoked Frederick William Faber’s words in the hymn “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy”: “For the love of God is broader than the measure of the mind.” I have no illusions. The differences and conflicts between our religions, our political ideologies and our economic and national and ethnic and racial interests are real. I believe Roman Catholic theologian Hans Kung was right when he said that there will be no peace on earth until there is peace among religions. But when and where God is truly worshipped, “in spirit and in truth,” as Jesus taught us, we draw closer to God, and, in turn, we draw closer to each other. And when in any tradition the worship, even if it masquerades in religious trappings, does not draw people closer to God, then
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
“An open mind and a willingness to walk beside each other, instead of in front or behind, have allowed me to learn more than I can ever hope to share. I’ve learned that God can be celebrated through both silent prayer and joyous dancing. I’ve learned that youth have the ability to create opportunities and serve as role models for future generations. I’ve learned that the power of love and friendship knows no borders.” Blythe’s words about worship, about drawing closer to God and to each other and witnessing to God’s love in a world that yearns to be transformed, give me hope. God is not finished with us yet! Keep the Faith, Michael
The Rt. Rev. Michael B. Curry was elected 11TH Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina in 2000.
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
eace prevail on
it is probably not God who is being worshipped. Jesus said that the essence of God’s law and God’s way is love of God and love of the other, our neighbor (see Mark 12:28-31). The writer of 1 John is so bold as to say that it is impossible to love God if you don’t love your neighbor: “Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen.” (1 John 4:20) Genuine worship of God enlarges us. In acts of worship we are, often unknowingly, moved beyond ourselves, moved closer to God and to each other. It is not about groveling, but about growing -- growing into the immensity of the love and depth of the God who has been revealed in the teachings and life of Jesus Christ. And therefore it is about growing as people whose lives reflect that love through our lives with others. Genuine worship always leads to witness in the world, which will change us and, in turn, change the world. Pastor Mark Labberton, in his recently published book that challenges the Church to move beyond cultural captivity and to claim the high calling of Jesus, has this to say: “The crisis that the Church currently faces is that our individual and corporate worship do not produce the fruit of justice and righteousness that God seeks. This creates a crisis of faithfulness before God and a crisis of purpose before the world. Scripture indicates that our personal and communal worship are meant to shape our vision and fire our engines to be daring disciples, imitating and sharing the love of Jesus Christ in acts of righteousness and justice.” (From The Dangerous Act of Worship: Living God’s Call To Justice) This issue of The Disciple includes a blog post by Blythe Riggin (see page 7). Blythe is one of the young people and adults from our Diocese who joined youth and adults from the Diocese of Newcastle (Church of England) to attend a conference in Botswana with the young people of the Diocese of Botswana. A conversation Blythe had with another young woman from a different Christian tradition inspired her insightful reflections. In her piece, she speaks movingly of worshipping God and building relationships, and in so doing helping to create a new world. These are her words:
Celebrate! World Peace Day
September 21, 2011
September 21st is the International Day of Peace and it provides an opportunity for congregations, individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly.
Visit internationaldayofpeace.org for additional ideas and resources or the Episcopal Peace Fellowship at http://epfnational.org.
May Peace Prevail On Earth The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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Botswana exchange:
A Walk Beside In 2008, The Diocese of North Carolina and the Diocese of Botswana officially signed a document sealing their commitment to each other through a companion relationship. Then, in 2009, a group of ten youth and adults from Botswana visited our diocese, participated in Bishops’ Ball and experienced family life in America. After several attempts to arrange a visit to Botswana with youth from North Carolina — stymied by the recession and World Cup — finally this past summer a group of 12 youth and adults joined a group of 13 from Newcastle, England, and spent two weeks as guests of the Diocese of Botswana. The Botswana Youth Exchange was not a mission trip in the sense of a construction project or Bible school. Although there are times when it is appropriate for us to help each other- such as the Diocese of Botswana sending clothing for the tornado victims in Raleigh - this particular trip was about building relationships through an exchange of cultures, ideas, foods, music and worship. The reflections from the youth participants best express the importance of such exchanges. Blythe Riggan (Grace, Lexington) articulated this so well in her entry reproduced on the following page. Visit our blog to watch videos, see photos and read about our daily experiences, as well as other reflections: http://bit.ly/r3IkXo. Beth Crow is the Diocesan Youth Missioner. Contact her at 919.834.7474 or at beth.crow@episdionc.org.
Photos by Erin Casey
By Blythe Riggan
I am currently on the flight home from Africa. On this trip I had the opportunity to meet a young lady around my age who made a mission trip to South Africa. We talked about our various experiences and impressions of Africa, as well as our beliefs and faith. This turned out to be a very thought-provoking conversation for the first hour of our ghastly seventeen-hour flight. The young lady explained how her group stayed in South Africa for about three weeks in a modest hut without showers and "survived" off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Yet she enthusiastically described memories of caring for the orphans and visiting hospitals. When it was my turn to share my experiences, I was honestly embarrassed — I had just spent the past week at my host family's comfortable home, swimming pool and all. Did I even really take part in the "true Africa experience?" Yet as I began sharing memories — like bonding with my host sister at the movies and family dinners, playing a game of pick-up soccer with some women of Botswana and receiving an old, well-loved t-shirt from a new, wellloved best friend — I became reassured. I was returning to North Carolina with so many beautiful memories and new friendships, whereas the young lady described each new face as though they were a project instead of a new friend. Here marked the difference between ministry and mission. As Bishop Trevor of Botswana explained in his speech at the HIV/AIDS Conference, the companion links among the dioceses of North Carolina, Newcastle and Botswana are one that encourages us to "walk together in Christian Discipleship." Instead of assuming the responsibility for the people of Botswana and caring for them as a parent cares for a child, we must recognize them as fellow pilgrims and brothers and sisters of faith. Bishop Trevor continued his speech by inviting the youth from the three dioceses to "support and challenge each other," a vital part of the invitation being the phrase "each other." Instead of allowing ourselves to take full responsibility for supporting everyone, we must share the duty among ourselves. The act of trusting God and others to support and challenge us can often find us out of our comfort zones as we learn to give up control. Giving up control and allowing the culture to envelop us proved to be just a few of the many encounters that led us outside of our comfort zones. Yet an open mind and a willingness to walk beside each other, instead of in front or behind, have allowed me to learn more than I can ever hope to share. I've learned that God can be celebrated through both silent prayer and joyous dancing. I've learned that youth have the ability to create opportunities and serve as role
Blythe Riggan enjoys time with the young people in Botswana during a Diocesan Youth Exchange in July.
More pictures from the Botswana Youth Exchange are available on the following page and online at http://bit.ly/oxSEvW. Videos and reflections are available on the Botswana Exchange blog at http://bit.ly/r3IkXo. models for future generations. I've learned that the power of love and friendship knows no borders. And so I return to North Carolina with priceless knowledge and timeless friendships. I respectfully acknowledge the young lady's passion for mission and smile knowingly as she struggles with the phrase "cultural exchange." And as I depart from her, I will have the knowledge to understand that my place is not in front or behind, but beside the people of Botswana. My faith is somewhere in Gabarone around the dinner table where cooked carrots and conversation are shared with my host brother and sister. I am currently on a flight to North Carolina leaving both my family and my home. Tumelo (Faith) Blythe Riggan is a member of Grace Episcopal Church in Lexington who attended the 2011 Botswana Exchange. Find additional youth reflections, stories about the trip, photos and more at http://botswanayouthexchange.blogspot.com.
Botswana
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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Botswana Pictured, clockwise from top: Youth learn about traditional ways of life during a cultural re-enactment at the Bahurutsshe Cultural Village, Gaborone, Botswana. The group poses with children from the SOS Children’s Village in Gabarone, the capital of Botswana. Tim Meyers (St. Martin’s, Charlotte) poses with Fr. Lawrence’s son. Bishop Trevor Mwamba of Botswana Paul Hughes (Nativity, Raleigh) sets up a giraffe trap. Youth on the Exchange: Halyley Fowler - Saint Patrick’s, Mooresville Paul Hughes - Nativity, Raleigh Conor Jones - Saint Martin’s, Charlotte Cameron Marshall - Saint Ambrose, Raleigh Anna Ralston-Asumendi - Greensboro Blythe Riggan - Grace, Lexington Mary Peyton Roche - Christ Church, Charlotte Janie Urbanowicz - Saint Martin’s, Charlotte
exchange Adults Nils Chittenden, Beth Crow, Tim Meyers, Sharita Womack
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The North Carolina Disciple | Summer 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
By Becca Bland
My
church The following reflection was written by Becca Bland, a young person from the Church of the Advocate in Chapel Hill/ Carrboro. Bland was asked to describe, in 300 words, an experience when she worked in partnership with others to achieve something she could not have done alone. I am a member of a small, liberal Episcopal church, where we say that the word “liturgy” literally means “the work of the people.” Through my seven years there I have grown to see that this is true in every way, not just etymologically. The service – the liturgy – is what it is because of the participation of every person. When someone is missing, the liturgy is not what it would otherwise be. The Church of the Advocate, though small, is surprisingly diverse. The congregation includes a convicted murderer, a man who has suffered under Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, an elder with post-polio syndrome, a man who does medical work in the Sudan, a worker for justice in Palestine, a woman who grew up in Sri Lanka and a 10-month-old child – the grandson of a priest and the son of a Turkish Muslim. I have not only grown close to these People of the Advocate, but have also come to see how I could not create the liturgy and the community on my own. The experience of church is all the richer because of the partners I have in creating it. I play an important role in the life of the church, just like each of the other parishioners. I am one of the few youth here and the only one applying to college right now. My fellow parishioners have expressed how much they enjoy experiencing that process again, vicariously through
. A photo of Becca Bland carrying the Gospel for the Advocate’s Palm Sunday procession through downtown Carrboro.
me. I am the youth, the one with excessive energy and sports injuries, the one learning about the classics and looking forward to college. I have a part, as does everyone else, in this church, this community and this liturgy. It would not be what it is without everyone’s participation, including mine. Becca Bland is a youth at Church of the Advocate in Chapel Hill & Carrboro.
Advertising the Advocate This image is a sign that the Advocate has posted on the Chapel Hill Transit buses this fall.
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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The North Carolina Disciple | Summer 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
From St. Timothy’s, Winston-Salem Photos by Emily Menter
Into the Mystery of god:
Participation in Ancient Liturgy Brings New Life to Worship
According to the Alban Institute, St Timothy’s, Winston-Salem, had a decision to make. Attendance at the main celebration of the Holy Eucharist was consistently over the so-called “80% Rule,” which states that any worship space that is at or over 80% of comfortable seating capacity will appear too full for visitors and therefore prohibit church growth. The decision would not be easy. At the time, St Timothy’s offered two services in a space that was barely ten years old: a traditional Rite One Eucharist with no music at 8am and a Rite II Eucharist with music at 10:30am. Adding an additional service would be a logistical and emotional challenge — and an opportunity. At the first vestry meeting in January 2010, Fr. Steve Rice, rector of St Timothy’s, decided to explore the feasibility of a third worship service on Sunday morning. Instead of duplicating an existing worship service, Fr. Rice wanted to explore something completely different - a High Mass complete with chant, incense and traditional Sarum Use ceremonial. Fr. Rice hoped it would play to the strengths of the clergy, staff and architecture of St Timothy’s and would be an expression of Anglican worship that could speak to new generations of Episcopalians. Conversations with staff, vestry and commissions led to the announcement that a third service would be offered beginning on Palm Sunday 2010. Over a year has passed since the third service was added. As with all change, it was easier for some and quite difficult for others. The wisdom and intuition of the Church and the Alban Institute has, however, proven trustworthy. Attendance at St Timothy’s has grown from an ASA of 206 in 2007 to a current ASA of 310 in 2011, with an 8% increase since the third service was added last year. Currently, three services are offered at 7:30am, 9am and 11am. Each service represents an authentic expression of the Anglican worship tradition. The 7:30am service is held in the chapel, which was the former sanctuary in the original St. Timothy’s church building. It is a Rite I low mass without music. The 9am service, the largest of the three, falls more into the Broad Church tradition but still incorporates traditional ceremonial (bells and genuflections). The service includes a homily for children and sees the largest percentage of young families. The 11am service is a High Mass (a Solemn High Mass twice a month when our deacon is pres-
ent). The liturgy is chanted, and incense is used at the procession, Gospel, offertory, canon and retiring procession. The mass is celebrated ad orientem (eastward facing) and uses Rite I. When available, the liturgy employs the ministry of celebrant, deacon and subdeacon in their traditional roles. While the 9am service continues to see the largest numbers in attendance, the 11am High Mass has seen the most continual growth. The majority of those who worship at the High Mass are new to St Timothy’s, and a growing number are young professionals. The service is most certainly counter-cultural and acknowledges and invites participation into the Mystery of God. The greatest fruit from the third service has been the renewed interest and focus on the primacy of worship. To add a third service (and one such as the High Mass) requires a significant amount of catechesis, attention and reinforcement. As a result, worship has become the priority at St Timothy’s, and it hasn’t stopped with the additional service. Although an exciting ministry, Children’s Chapel was phased out in favor of incorporating children, even young children, into the full worship life of the parish. Beginning on Ash Wednesday 2011, the Daily Offices of Morning and Evening Prayer have been offered every weekday. After Easter, a daily mass was included after Morning Prayer. Every day at St Timothy’s begins with the celebration of the Most Holy Eucharist and ends with communal prayer. Time, space and bodies are sanctified in this rhythm of prayer and sacrifice. Adding a third service not only addressed practical needs highlighted by the research from the Alban Institute, but it also addressed the identity of St Timothy’s. Christians, and certainly Episcopalians, find their identity and purpose in the act of worship. The daily round of Morning and Evening Prayer as the continuous sacrifice of prayer without ceasing, the Holy Eucharist as the ‘source and summit’ of our life and the renewal of our baptism in recitation of the Creed has revealed and renewed the identity of St Timothy’s Episcopal Church. Fr. Steve Rice, SCP, is the Rector at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Winston-Salem, NC. Contact him at frsteve@sttimothys.ws or at 336.765.0294 .
“To add a third service (and one such as the High Mass) requires a significant amount of catechesis, attention and reinforcement. As a result, worship has become the priority at St. Timothy’s, and it hasn’t stopped on Sunday mornings. Although an exciting ministry, Children’s Chapel was phased out in favor of incorporating children, even young children, into the full worship life of the parish.” Photos, clockwise from the top: 1. The Rev. Steve Rice, Rector at St. Timothy’s, Winston -Salem, censing the altar during the introit of St. Timothy’s High Mass Service. 2. St. Timothy’s congregation during the Gloria in excelsis. 3. The retiring procession. 4. The fraction. 5. Communion. Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
— The Rev. Steve Rice, Rector The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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COMES TO CHURCH
By The Rev. George M. Clifford, III
In the gospel reading for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 12, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52), Jesus asks his disciples if they understood his teaching. That prompted me to consider giving you a reading comprehension test on the gospel, or perhaps all three readings. If that makes you nervous, relax. I did not want to grade the exams nor embarrass any who scored poorly. Truth be told, I strongly suspect the disciples overstated their understanding as well. On one level, most of us can easily understand the gospel. The Kingdom of Heaven is like an incredibly valuable treasure or pearl beyond price that, like yeast or a rapidly growing tree, spreads in an almost unstoppable manner. On a deeper level, the gospel can easily seem more obtuse. Some of you will have noticed that I mixed metaphors in explaining how to easily understand the gospel. I conflated two sets of metaphors that Jesus used to describe two different aspects of the Kingdom. The Kingdom is both more precious than anything else and highly contagious. This is the opposite of our normal expectations. Usually, scarcity drives prices up while contagion cheapens it or even signifies something bad, like the flu or panic. So, do you understand today’s gospel reading? Before you reply with an answer that you may come to regret, remember that the gospel reading ends with Jesus
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commenting that people trained for the Kingdom of Heaven will bring what is old and what is new out of their treasure. That, to say the least, sounds difficult. The old, quite simply, is to love God and our neighbor. Love is the only thing of which I am aware that is beyond price and yet is unlimited in supply and amazingly contagious. The new, a task of great complexity, is figuring out what those two commands mean each day. J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series has attracted renewed attention over the last couple of weeks with the release of the final movie in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2. The movie set the record for the largest ticket sales on the opening weekend of any movie. Sadly, Pope Benedict, when he was still Cardinal Ratzinger, along with a host of other Christian voices, condemned Harry Potter as unchristian or worse. Less well known is that in October 2007 Rowling publicly stated that Christianity inspired the series and identified herself as a Christian, a member of the Scottish Episcopal Church. To digress briefly, the Scottish Episcopal Church, like our Episcopal Church, is part of the Anglican Communion. The American Church owes a debt of gratitude to the Scottish Episcopal Church. Following the American Revolution, we had no bishops. Nobody could be confirmed, nor could we ordain new clergy. For different reasons, the Scots were also on the outs with the
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
“First, some people think that watching fantasy can seduce a person into abandoning God for evil. People who feel that way should read more of the Bible. The Bible contains many of what sailors kindly call sea stories. These include Noah and the ark, Jonah and the fish, and the beast that would rule the world—stories that may have a moral, that may once have had a historical basis, but that are now pure fiction.” Church of England and consequently were willing to assist us by ordaining our first three bishops. The controversy over Harry Potter has two roots. First, some people think that watching fantasy can seduce a person into abandoning God for evil. People who feel that way should read more of the Bible. The Bible contains many of what sailors kindly call sea stories. These include Noah and the ark, Jonah and the fish, and the beast that would rule the world—stories that may have a moral, that may once have had a historical basis, but that are now pure fiction. These critics should also pay close attention to this morning’s second lesson (Romans 8:26-39): nothing—“not death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation”—can separate us from God. Rowling’s Potter series is the latest in a long line of popular Christian allegories and fantasies that includes C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series. Second, too often people, perhaps even some of us on occasion, take religious language literally rather than symbolically. That makes appreciating the extensive use of Christian symbolism and themes in Harry Potter difficult, if not impossible. Consider a few examples: • • • • •
Unicorns, white stags and red lions – all featured in Harry Potter – are Christian symbols for the Christ. The evil house at Hogwarts, the school for wizards, is Slytherin, an allusion to the ancient metaphor of the snake as the embodiment of evil. Professor Dumbledore, Harry’s mentor and protector, who like a phoenix rises from the dead, is another Christ figure. Inclusivity, welcoming all, reaches a new level in the films as Potter always treats house-elves, werewolves, giants and even Muggles with equal respect and dignity. Harry Potter usually makes the right choices, consistently tends to act out of love and eventually triumphs through the power of love. He repeatedly dies a near death only to “rise from the dead.” The scar on his forehead is evocative of our mark as Christians: Holy Baptism. In short, Potter is a Christ-figure, empowered by the blood of his mother.
Mircea Eliade, the highly respected scholar of myth and religion, suggested in his classic work, The Sacred and the Profane, that novels and other literary art forms fill a spiritual hunger in people. Novels provide us a vehicle for imagining the spiritual, give us a set of images for talking about the spiritual and suggest that perhaps the spiritual is real. As champion athletes, great artists, top business executives and other people who excel have discovered, imagining success significantly enhances a person’s ability to achieve success. In other words, watching or reading Harry Potter can help to form us as better Christians, inspiring us with confidence that love does prevail and that we can live lives that are more loving. As Jesus asked his disciples, do you understand? Amen. The Rev. George M. Clifford, III, is the Priest Associate at Church of the Navity in Raleigh. Contact him at georgeclifford@bellsouth.net or at (919) 846-8338.
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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By The Right Reverend William O. Gregg, Ph.D. Assistant Bishop of North Carolina
The dailyness of it In a healthy Christian life, spirituality is essential and it is profoundly daily. It is both individual and ecclesial (of the Church, the Body of Christ, the Household of Faith). In the infinite providence of God, spirituality is a rich, broad, deep, highly diverse reality of the lived relationship with the Father through the Son in the Spirit. One of the paths of this relationship emerged in the sixth century through St. Benedict of Nursia. St. Benedict prayed, thought about and experienced the way of spirituality he articulated in the communal life of his Rule. St. Benedict’s Rule played a fundamental role in shaping the spirituality of England and the Anglican Tradition. This rule continues to be the governing document of the Order of St. Benedict and is the foundation of the rule for most of western monasticism. So what is it about Benedictine spirituality that is so powerful, transforming and effective that it remains a vital, central part of Western Christianity 1600 years later? St. Benedict
I think we find the key in three words of St. Benedict: the Benedictine motto, “ora et labora” and a word from the first paragraph of the Rule, obsculta. The motto translates simply as “Prayer and Work”. St. Benedict says to the new monk who is beginning his monastic journey, “Listen (obsculta), my son, with the ear of your heart…” Obsculta means to listen in a deep sense, with one’s whole person. The spiritual life in the Benedictine sense is a life of balance – prayer and work; listening and speaking; physical, mental, and spiritual care of self; a deep sense of self and a deep bond to community; a sense of growing grounded in the past and open to the future. The Benedictine way is one of being deeply engaged and committed to the particular people in the particular place at the particular time we find ourselves. Benedictine spirituality is rooted in the realities of one’s daily life to do the work that the day brings, and to be grounded in the dialog of relationship (prayer) with God. Prayer and work are not the same, but they are inexorably related. We take the wisdom, strength, transformation, lifegiving experience of relationship in dialog with God into our daily lives, our work. We bring our daily lives, our work, into our prayer. In prayer and work, there is a mindfulness of God’s presence with us and ours to God, of God’s loving us as we love those around us, of God’s working in and through us as we work with and serve those around us. The instruction, “Listen,” reminds us that the spiritual life is a dialog, and therefore, listening is essential. Listening is particularly important, for example, in the sacred reading of scripture (lectio divina) and Daily Offices. Listening is also an essential discipline in our daily work and service. Listening is a practice of openness, anticipation, expectation to encounter and know God in the dailyness of our lives. Listening is foundational – listening with the ear of our heart
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to hear what the scriptures, events, and people are saying to us, to hear what the Spirit is speaking to us, to discern what God is inviting us to do for and with God in our daily lives. St. Benedict teaches us that our spiritual life is and only can be where we are, with whomever we are, and as we are. It is not an otherworldly, esoteric matter. It is exquisitely daily, simple, humble, practical. It requires only that we be willing to be present to God, to ourselves, to others, and to our world. It invites us to open ourselves to the Spirit so that in our being and our doing, we embody our relationship with God in the every day, the ordinary, the often singularly unspectacular truth of who we are and what our life is. Precisely here we meet God who gives us God’s self in love, always, everywhere; and, we discover the breath-taking wonder and magnificence of God, ourselves, others, and the created order. Daily.
Some especially helpful resources The Rule of St. Benedict (Joan Chittister, OSB, editor), Seeking God: the Benedictine Way (Esther DeWaal, Anglican Lay Person & scholar), for business and other leaders, The Benedictine Rule of Leadership (Craig Galbraith & Oliver Galbraith), St. Benedict’s Toolbox: the Nuts and Bolts of Everyday Benedictine Living (Jane Tomaine, an Episcopal priest).
The Rt. Rev. William O. Gregg, Ph.D., is the Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. Contact him at william.gregg@episdionc.org or call (704) 332-7746 .
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
2012
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
The 196th Annual Diocesan Convention will convene on Friday, January 20, at the Benton Conference Center in Winston-Salem and adjourn on Saturday, January 21. This year’s keynote speaker will be the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Jefferts Schori will be in the Diocese for the Convention and to celebrate the 125TH Anniversary of St. Martin’s, Charlotte, as a congregation, and 100 years at their current location. All information pertaining to Convention is available online at http://bit.ly/pUJUEu. The following information is currently available online: Notice of the 2012 Convention, Timeline for the 196th Convention, Certificate of Election, Certificate of Change in Lay Delegation, the Delegate Strength Table, the Returning Delegates Roster and links to the Benton Convention Center. IMPORTANT ITEMS TO NOTE Pre-Convention Information Proposed resolutions, election information and committee reports will be available in a special pre-Convention packet to be distributed among lay delegates and clergy with voting privileges. In addition, a pdf version of the information will be available on the diocesan website for anyone interested in downloading, saving and/or printing the information. The Diocese will not publish a special pre-Convention issue of The North Carolina Disciple. Convention Packets Convention packets distributed to clergy and delegates will only include Convention-related materials. Information tables at Convention will display additional materials from committees, institutions, organizations, etc. Those interested in specific topics may pick up additional information once they arrive. Please submit items for the information tables to Diocesan House, 200 West Morgan St., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27601, so they can be approved by the Bishop’s office. October Pre-Convention Convocation Meetings Tuesday, October 11 - Winston-Salem Convocation, St. Stephen’s, Winston-Salem, 7 PM Tuesday, October 25 – Charlotte Convocation, St. John’s, Charlotte, 7 PM Wednesday, October 26 – Durham Convocation, TBD Thursday, October 27 – Rocky Mount Convocation, Church of the Saviour, Jackson, 7 PM Monday, October 31 - Raleigh Convocation, St. Michael’s, Raleigh, 7 PM Tuesday, November 1 – Sandhills Convocation, Emmanuel, Southern Pines, 7PM Thursday, November 3 – Greensboro Convocation, St. Andrew’s, Greensboro, 7 PM Other Important Dates Oct. 3: Certificates of election of lay delegates are due. Dec. 12: Deadline for receiving nominations and resolutions and for submitting annual reports for inclusion in the pre-Convention packet. Please see additional Convention-related dates on the timeline included in the sidebar. Stay Tuned… In the coming months, watch for Convention information on the diocesan website (www.episdionc.org), in “Please Note” (the bishop’s weekly e-newsletter) and in the “Around the Diocese” monthly bulletin insert. Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
September Vestry Meetings Vestries elect lay delegates to Convention for three-year terms. Friday, September 23, 2011 (120 days before Convention) Bishop certifies to secretary the list of clergy entitled to seat, voice and vote in Convention. Canon 1.1 Thursday, September 29, 2011 Diocesan Council adopts tentative budget for 2012 to be submitted to Convention. Canon 18.6 Monday, October 3, 2011 (110 days before Convention) Deadline for clerks of vestries to mail certificates of election of lay delegates. Canon 1.2 Friday, October 24, 2011 (90 days before Convention) Secretary publishes official roll of Clergy and Lay Orders of the 196th Annual Convention [Canon 1.2], gives formal notice of positions to be filled by election, mails nomination forms and issues instructions for submitting resolutions. Secretary sends committee preference forms to clergy and lay delegates. November 2011 (At least 75 days before Convention) Convocation pre-Convention meetings to discuss tentative programs and supporting budgets to be presented for Convention adoption. Canon 19.4 Thursday, December 8, 2011 Diocesan Council gives final approval to 2012 budget to be presented at Convention. Monday, December 12, 2011 (40 days before Convention) Last day to submit nominations and resolutions. Rule of Order XVIII, Rule of Order XIX. Bishop appoints Legislative Committees no later than today. Canon 13, sec. 2 Wednesday, December 21, 2011 (30 days before Convention) Last day to apply for admission as a parish or mission in Union with Convention. Canon 2.5 December 31, 2011 Deadline for full payment of accepted shares for 2011 budget. Tuesday, January 10, 2012 (At least 10 days before Convention) No later than today, Convocations hold pre-Convention meetings to discuss nominations and resolutions and to elect deans and lay wardens. Tuesday, January 10, 2012 (10 days before Convention) Date for determination by the Secretary of the Convention as to whether a parish or mission must obtain consent of the Convention to seat its lay delegates due to failure to file its 2010 parochial report or 2010 audit report. Last day for parishes and missions to pay in full 2011 shares of the diocesan budget. Secretary of the Convention strikes from the roll of voting clergy and lay delegates clergy and lay delegates from delinquent congregations. Canon 18.4 Friday, January 20, 2012 Saturday, January 21, 2012
196th Convention convenes. 196th Convention adjourns.
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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By Pam Hatley
“Peace Pals” Forming Friendships, Building Trust in North Carolina
Photo by Pam Hatley
Due to the sensitive nature of the camp, it was determined captions would not be provided with the photos. However, please see a list of youth from the Diocese of North Carolina who participated. Photos were taken by Lauren Holt unless otherwise indicated.
Participants from the Diocese of North Carolina Rett Atkins, St. Patrick’s, Mooresville Megan Kottkamp, St. John’s, Charlotte Griffith Lovell, Church of the Holy Comforter, Charlotte Michael McNeil, St. Andrew’s, Greensboro Jack Pendergast, St. Patrick’s, Mooresville Sam Bailes, Diocese of Western North Carolina Davon Dunbar, Diocese of Western North Carolina John Murphy, Dicoese of Western North Carolina Ruthie Scruggs, Diocese of Western North Carolina Neal Fleming, Port Allen, Louisiana Hannia Karam, Charlotte Noor Sanjak, Charlotte
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The North Carolina Disciple | Fall Spring 2011 2011
“I can see that peace is coming, I can see that peace is coming, I can see that peace is coming for everyone.” During the last two weeks of July, this song by famed musician Raffi echoed in English, Arabic and Hebrew through the mountains of North Carolina as Lake Logan Episcopal Center hosted the 2011 Kids4Peace - North Carolina Camp. Kids4Peace is an interfaith education program that brings together 24 children, 12 from Jerusalem and 12 from the United States, to learn mutual respect and trust and to build lasting friendships. Muslims, Christians and Jews celebrate their common ancestor, Abraham, as they learn about one another’s faiths and cultures. The children from Jerusalem arrived on Sunday, July 17, and were joined by their American “Peace Pals” on the following day. Each brought a gift for his or her Peace Pal, and, despite the language barriers, they quickly got acquainted. Over the next ten days, the children lived, played and ate together. They built trust through activities like a creek hike and ropes course. They visited each other’s houses of worship, observing their friends in prayer. The American kids taught the kids from Jerusalem how to play baseball, and everyone went to an Asheville Tourists game and cheered on the home team. At the end of their time together, each faith group wrote and performed a skit about their faith tradition as a part of the Abraham Tent Celebration. At the end of camp, Omri, one of the Jewish children from Jerusalem, wrote, “In the beginning of the year, I did not believe that in my summer vacation, I will travel to U.S.A. and return with so many good friends, especially Christians and Muslims. It changed a lot about my opinions and thoughts on the subject – the faith issues in Israel/Palestine. I believe that because we are all the same, we are all human beings, we MUST!! live in peace.” Looking back on the camp and remembering how the kids bonded, how hard it was to tell who was from Jerusalem and who was from America, which kids were Christian, Muslim or Jewish, it is not hard to believe the words of the song: “I can see that peace is coming, for everyone!” If you would like more information about the Kids4Peace - North Carolina Chapter, please contact Lyn Holt, lholt@st-peters.org or Pam Hatley (see contact information below). Pam Hatley is the Regional Youth Ministry Coach in the South Region. Contact her at pam.hatley@episdionc.org.
Making Disciples, Making a
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Summer 2011
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By Summerlee Walter
every net counts The Diocesan-Wide NetsforLife Campaign to Save 100,000 Lives About the Campaign During the 195th Annual Convention, held in January 2011, Bishop Curry formally announced a diocesan-wide NetsforLife campaign to help Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD) meet the Millenium Development Goals by fighting malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. “Our goal is a bold and daring one,” he said. “[Yet] it is possible. We can do it. And by God’s grace, we will.” As we survey our progress at the halfway point of the campaign, now is an appropriate time to remind ourselves of Bishop Curry’s assurance. We CAN meet our goal of raising 40,000 malaria nets, or one per communicant in the Diocese of North Carolina. We CAN achieve 100% participation from parishes as we raise $12 per net. We CAN provide protection from a deadly but easily prevent“We’re now at the half-way able disease for up to point of our campaign, the 120,000 people, most point from which we’ve of them mothers, expected the ‘big push’ to children and pregnant begin. And what a good women. Read on for foundation we have to beinspiration and ideas gin that push: parishioners to start or refuel your across our diocese have own parish fundraisalready purchased almost ing efforts as we draw 14,000 nets (over 1/3 of nearer to the camthe campaign’s goal), nearly paign’s conclusion at 50 percent of our parishes Convention 2012. and missions are actively
engaged in the campaign and we know plans are being developed for vigorous fall and Advent nets campaigns.”
The Campaign So Far: Moving Toward 40,000 Nets The NetsforLife Committee has good - Reid Joyner, NetsforLife Steering news to report: July Committee Co-Chair was our most successful month to date, with 3,149 nets raised! It looks like all of those itchy summer mosquito bites served as a reminder that, in areas of the world where malaria is prevalent, our summer annoyances are others’ serious dangers. The Committee has even more good news to share: both the Church of the Good Shepherd in Raleigh and St. Alban’s in Davidson exceeded their nets goal in July! Congratulations! (See the sidebar for a complete list of “Gold Net” churches that have met or exceeded their campaign goals.)
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While we are well on our way to reaching our goal of one net for each communicant in the diocese, we need your continued support to reach 40,000 nets by Convention 2012. According to the Diocese’s ERD Coordinator and NetsforLife Campaign Chairman, Reid Joyner, “We’re now at the half-way point of our campaign, the point from which we’ve expected the ‘big push’ to begin. And what a good foundation we have to begin that push: parishioners across our diocese have already purchased almost 14,000 nets (over 1/3 of the campaign’s goal), nearly 50 percent of our parishes and missions are actively engaged in the campaign and we know plans are being developed for vigorous fall and Advent nets campaigns.” The fall and winter, with their celebrations of thankfulness, hope and renewal, are the perfect times to remember those whom we can serve…and a donation of mosquito nets makes a great offering or gift! It’s not too late to make a difference in the lives of those threatened by malaria. “Every net that’s purchased the rest of this year will be important; every net counts big toward us reaching our 40,000 nets goal,” Joyner says. “Let’s start that push today.” Let No One Despise Your Youth: Youth in the Campaign Since the NetsforLife campaign goal is to raise one net for each communicant, it is only appropriate that we recognize the fundraising efforts of our youngest communicants, the 18 and under crew. It is inspiring to hear reports of what the youth of this diocese are accomplishing on behalf of the Nets campaign. During the annual Chartered Committee on Youth retreat in June, 23 of the diocese’s high school leaders learned about the global impact of malaria and the steps that they can take to help eliminate the disease through the NetsforLife campaign. They quizzed themselves on malaria trivia, learned how to craft display nets, and used “dart guns” to “shoot” mosquitoes before sharing what they learned with their congregations. Young people have also taken leadership roles in the campaign on the parish level. At Holy Family in Chapel Hill, Nicole Powell, 17, is in charge of helping her congregation reach
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
Left: Carolina Anders participates in NetsforLife actvity. Photo by Beth Crow
its 904-net goal. The campaign kicked off on Easter Sunday with a dedicated loose offering that yielded 241 nets. During the early fall, the children and youth at Holy Family will continue the fundraising effort during the annual church carnival, at which they will staff game booths in order to raise more nets. “I think it’s important that the youth are helping [with the campaign] because most of the people that the nets are going to cover are children, and it’s important that we know what’s going on,” Powell explains. “Even if we can’t afford to donate, we can help other people raise money.” Kate Worley, 17, agrees. She is the nets representative at St. Paul’s, Smithfield, which has already raised most of its 203-net goal. Then-senior David Baum kicked off the campaign in the spring by organizing a car wash and chili sale (happening concurrently!) as his high school graduation project. During the town’s annual “Ham and Yam” festival, Worley set up a display net at St. Paul’s booth so everyone who bought a net could add their names. The net is now full of the names of both parishioners and non-parishioners. Worley knows that this youth involvement is important not just for fighting malaria but for changing perceptions, too. “When it comes to young people being involved in fundraising, I’ve noticed that my church has been a lot more eager to give,” she observed. “When you see a young person enthusiastic about a cause, it goes against the social norms of what teenagers are like, and it changes the minds of a lot of individuals.”
Congregations that have met, exceeded campaign goal: Congratulations!
“The Golden Nets” Parish
Nets Raised Over Goal
% OVER
Goal
All Saints’, Warrenton 2 Calvary, Tarboro 13 Episcopal Campus N/A* Ministry, Raleigh Good Shepherd, Raleigh 37 St. Alban’s, Davidson 25 St. Luke’s, Tarboro 65 St. Mary’s College, Raleigh N/A* St. Paul’s, Salisbury N/A *
33% 4% -5% 5% 241% ---
*Thanks to those parishes and campus ministries without official nets goals that still made significant contributions to the NetsforLife campaign. Your support is invaluable!
Continued on following page >
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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together
we can save more than
100,000 lives
The Diocesan-Wide NetsforLife Campaign to Save 100,000 Lives A Nationwide Movement: The Inspiration Fund
Every 45 seconds, a child dies of malaria. In order to stop this tragedy, the Netsfor Life Inspiration Fund—a nationwide grassroots movement to unite Episcopalians in the fight against malaria, of which the Diocese of North Carolina’s NetsforLife campaign is a part—has pledged to raise $5 million, or over 416,000 nets, by December 2012. So far, the nationwide campaign has engaged 39,419 people and 1,526 churches, raising a total of 181,252 nets. Some of those have come from our own diocese; others are contributions from the Dioceses of Virginia, Texas, and Minnesota, among others. The Inspiration Fund campaign is itself part of the larger NetsforLife partnership, which unites corporations, foundations, nongovernmental groups and faith-based organizations, including ERD, in the fight against malaria. NetsforLife works to instill a “net culture” of malaria education, proper net use and knowl-
edge about medical treatment in the communities that receive nets. In other words, the $12 per net covers far more than the net itself; it includes training for community agents, education for those who receive nets and ongoing monitoring of net use. Since 2008, NetsforLife has delivered 4.8 million nets to 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Almost 9 million community members have received life-saving help. For more information about NetsforLife and the Inspiration Fund, plus news and ideas from dioceses across the country, visit the NetsforLife Inspiration Fund homepage at http://www. inspirationfund.org/. Need Resources? Let Us Help If you’re struggling to think of ideas to start your NetsforLife campaign—or if you’re looking for ways to reinvigorate your campaign for the second half of the year—let us help you! Visit the Diocese of North Carolina’s NetsforLife homepage at http://netsforlife.dioncmdg.org/. Here you can find information about malaria, the ERD Inspiration Fund and “net culture,” our progress toward our goal and lots of ideas for parish education, activities and fundraisers. This website is also the hub for parish Nets reps to report their progress. You can also reach the website by visiting the diocesan homepage and clicking on the NetsforLife button on the righthand side of the page, near the top. Of course, you can always contact the committee with any questions you might have. Questions? Contact Reid Joyner, Committee Chair, erd-nc@hotmail.com, or Debra Smithdeal, Committee Co-Chair, debra@dioncmdg.org.
DIOCESAN
EVENTS
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER & DECEMBER
September 16 Formation Course for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, St. Philip’s, Durham 17 Lay Eucharistic Visitors and Mentor Training, St. Francis Prayer Center, Stoneville 17 Youth Ministry Conference, St. Andrew’s, Greensboro 23 Flower Design Seminar, Holy Trinity, Greensboro 26 New Clergy Orientation, Diocesan House, Raleigh 26 Safe Church Training, Christ Church, Charlotte 30 Safe Church Training, St. Michael’s, Raleigh October 4-5 Fall Clergy Conference, Hawthorne Inn, Winston-Salem 6 Fresh Start, held regionally. Contact Canon Hunn. 7-9 Fall Youth Event, Haw River State Park, Browns Summit 15 Seeing the Face of God in Each Other: A Racial Reconciliation Seminar, Holy Comforter, Burlington November Pre-Convention Convocation Meetings (page 15) 3 Fresh Start, held regionally. Contact Canon Hunn. 11-12 ECW Annual Meeting, St. Luke’s, Durham 11-13 Happening #57, Camp Walter Johnson, Denton 30 Diocesan Staff Day. Offices closed. December 1 Fresh Start, held regionally. Contact Canon Hunn. 6 South Region Advent Quiet Day, All Saints’, Concord 9-11 Bishop’s Ball, Camp Walter Johnson, Denton Look for additional events and more detailed event information online at www.episdionc.org or contact the diocese at 919.834.7474, toll free 800.448.8775.
Fall Clergy Conference: Why? Instead of inviting a well-known theologian or religious writer to deliver the keynote address, this year’s fall clergy conference will draw on the talents of an even more familiar group of speakers: the clergy of the diocese. Bishop Curry feels that drawing on the talents of those already serving within the diocese is right for the missionary moment in which we find ourselves. As he said in his Convention address, this Galilean moment finds many of the structures on which the historic church once depended, and many of the roles its clergy once filled, disappearing. In order to answer the deep spiritual questions that remain, we must prepare ourselves for the ever-changing present and future. To this end, instead of focusing on a new program or campaign, the fall clergy conference will focus on preparing ourselves to help others see Jesus anew. By sharing best practices and approaches to ministry in a modern context, we will teach each other what it means to be clergymen and women right here and right now. Topics for conversation will include implementing radical welcome, preparing to preach in Galilee, young adult ministry today, living your life in prayer, and being deacons on the road to Galilee. The conference will allow us to share with each other the ways in which the Holy Spirit teaches us to adapt ourselves to minister for the Gospel of Christ and to witness to the Episcopal way of being Christian in this Galilean moment. To see the inspiration for this year’s clergy conference, watch the video of Simon Sinek’s talk entitled “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” located on TED.com at the following link: http:// bit.ly/aISdtw. October 4-6, 2011 (Registration begins Tuesday at 11:00 am) Where: The Hawthorne Inn, 420 High Street, Winston-Salem Register online or by check. Contact Catherine Massey with questions, catherine.massey@episdionc.org. Any clergy who cannot attend should notify Bishop Curry at michael.curry@episdionc.org.
clergy changes As of August 2011
The Rev. Martha Brimm, from Candidate, to Transitional Deacon. Ordained June 18. The Rev. Sally French, Letters Dimissory from Diocese of Central New York, to Non-Parochial, Diocese of North Carolina. The Rev. Nelson Hodgkins, from NonParochial, to part-time Vicar, St. Elizabeth’s, King. The Rev. Joshua D. Bowron, from Diocese of Atlanta, to Associate Rector, St. John’s, Charlotte. The Rev. Audra Abt, from All Saints’, Greensboro, to Assistant for Children’s Ministry, St. Andrew’s, Greensboro. The Rev. Michael Pipkin, from Diocese of Virginia, to Associate Rector, St. John’s, Charlotte. Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The Rev. Juliana Lindberg, from Diocese of Memphis, to Associate Rector, Church of the Good Shepherd, Rocky Mount.
The Rev. Jennifer Durant, from Candidate, to Transitional Deacon and Assistant, Church of Our Savior, Charlottesville, Va. Ordained June 18.
The Rev. Timothy Raasch, from Diocese of Minnesota, to Interim Rector, St. Peter’s, Charlotte.
The Rev. Sara Batson, from Interim, Nativity, Raleigh, to Non-Parochial.
The Rev. Theodore McConnell, from Interim Rector, Calvary, Tarboro, and Vicar, St. Luke’s, Tarboro, to Diocese of Virginia. The Rev. David Rose, from Candidate, to Transitional Deacon and Assistant to the Rector, St. Anne’s, Tifton, Ga. Ordained June 18. The Rev. Richard Miles, from Priest-inCharge, St. Thomas of Canterbury, Long Beach, Ca, to Rector, St. Thomas, Reidsville.
The Rev. Clarke French, Letters of Dimissory from Diocese of New York, to Diocese of North Carolina. The Rev. Nils Chittenden, Letters of Commendation from Diocese of Durham, England, to Diocese of North Carolina. The Rev. Lauren Kilbourn, from Assistant, St. Andrew & Holy Communion, South Orange, NJ, to Associate Rector for Youth Ministry, St. Paul’s, Cary. The Rev. Kenneth H. Saunders, Letters Dimissory to Diocese of Maryland The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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creating a Thriving Young Adult Community Top 10 (+1) Tips On How to Do This in Your Congregation Young adults are an essential link in a growing, thriving church. Full of fresh ideas, ready to put down roots in the community, meet others and become involved, our young adults are a vital part of our parish life. But this population can also be difficult to grow, despite the fact that many young adults seek out a church during one of their many life changes: completing school, marrying or having a baby. St. Paul’s has had a ministry with young adults for several years, and, more recently, we have experienced notable growth in young adult visitors who become active, engaged parishioners. With God’s grace, this is how we did it:
1 2 3 4 5 22
Like attracts like- Young adults want to be at a church with other young adults.
So whether you have two or 10 in your congregation, make them visible. Our young adults serve as lectors, ushers and greeters on Sunday morning. In particular, those young adults who are trained greeters know to extend a welcome to any young adults who visit on Sunday and to ask for their e-mail addresses so that we can keep them updated on our young adult ministries and events (see #3).
Involve them first. Membership will follow.
Once a young adult visits and joins our e-mail list, and we’ve seen them perhaps one other time in church, we seek to involve them. Whether it’s through a phone call or e-mail, we take a moment to help them make connections with the choir, Outreach, Sunday School or whatever it is that they want to do. A few weeks later, we ask them to join the church. By then they’ve met several people and are involved in the church, so the answer is almost always, “Yes!”
Create an e-mail list and embrace social media.
Keep a running e-mail list for all young adults. The committee (see #4) can use this list for direct communication about young adult ministries. If you haven’t already, consider joining Facebook. I personally put it off for a long time but am grateful to be using it now, if for no other reason than to connect with parishioners. Our committee created a St. Paul’s Young Adults page that they update with parish events.
Create a committee or team.
When you have a handful of young adults, it’s time to think about officially organizing them. Be sure you have representation from single young adults, those married with and without children, and both men and women. Each will offer a different perspective when it’s time to decide what their mission will be and how they will fulfill that mission.
Co-Chair/Co-Lead/Collaborate.
Our young adults have a strong preference for co-chairing, collaborating, and working together on ministry opportunities. That way when one is not available or out of town, the other one can pitch in seamlessly.
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
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Lead from behind.
Once the Young Adults Committee is formed, it’s important that clergy lead from behind. Meet with your cochairs to set some expectations, but then honor the fact that they are adults. Our Young Adult Committee is brimming with energy and fresh ideas; it’s actually quite an experience to watch them at work.
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Fellowship is the first ministry and priority.
9
Offer child care and they will come.
10 +1
My one request for our young adults was that we take the first few months for fellowship. We had lots of young adults who hadn’t met each other yet, so we created gatherings with and without kids where they could create and deepen their friendships. Once that happened, we created ministry opportunities. Parishioners will naturally want to do ministry, Bible Studies or Outreach together once friendships are already formed.
Honor the sacred bath and bedtime routine.
Lots of young adults have young children. Our committee quickly realized that any activity or ministry needs to end by 7:00pm. This gives families time to go home, give baths and tuck little ones into bed. Chances are, families will stay home rather than break this all important and holy routine. For this reason, Sunday from 5:00-7:00pm. is a preferred time for gatherings of young adults and their children at St. Paul’s.
Consider offering child care for everything at the Caroline Brown of St. Paul’s, Winston-Salem paints a child’s face at the Parish church. Yes, this will cost money, even if there are Picnic held this summer. Young adults are a growing population within the St. Paul’s congregation, and they led a facepainting booth at the event. plenty of parishioners who will serve the church by Photo by Emilie Carol Uphoff holding babies in the nursery. Think of child care as an investment. If young parents are willing to give an hour or two of their time for Sunday School, a retreat, a vestry meeting or to collect can goods, then offer them child care so that they can develop their discipleship and serve the church in return. In this way, we create leaders of the church and ensure that our young adults have every opportunity to live into their unique roles in God’s Kingdom. Even if only one child is in child care, it’s worth it for the church and for the parents.
Traditional is OK!
Don’t assume that you need a casual or contemporary service to attract young adults. We have a “come as you are” service, but the vast majority of our young adults prefers organ music and traditional liturgy from the BCP. In a world of texting, cell phones, social media, long hours at work, civic commitments and running the kids to and fro, it can be both grounding and centering to be immersed in the beauty of liturgy that is timeless and honors the Divine.
And finally, pay attention to your ministry for young children.
Think beyond child care and the young adults (parents) will follow. Consider a Lenten or Advent offering for children while the adults are in a class rather than just child care. Offer an Instructed Eucharist for children and their parents. Treat children as parishioners, rather than offshoots, and your young families will grow and grow.
The Rev. Dr. Chantal McKinney is the Associate Rector for Mission and Parish Life at St. Paul’s, Winston-Salem. Contact her at cmckinney@stpauls-ws.org.
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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dream sabbath
From the Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs
Episcopal Church Joins “Dream Sabbath” Campaign in Support of National Dream Act The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry and the Rt. Rev. Alfred "Chip" Marble are members of Bishops Working for a Just Society. They commend the following Campaign to the Diocese of North Carolina. The Episcopal Church has joined other religious denominations and faith-based organizations in supporting the DREAM Act and asks churches to participate in a Dream Sabbath between September 18 and October 9. DREAM stands for Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors. The DREAM Act 2011 is bipartisan legislation that would grant legalized status to undocumented young people with good moral character who have lived in the U.S. for at least five years and graduated from high school. Permanent resident status would be available upon completion of two years of higher education or military service. “The Episcopal Church supports the DREAM Act through the approval of General Convention 2009 Resolution B006,” noted Alex Baumgarten, Episcopal Church Director of Government Relations and International Policy Analyst. “The DREAM Act would help thousands of youth who came to our country as undocumented to receive legal status, thereby granting untold opportunities on their way to becoming United States citizens.” “Every child growing up in America deserves the opportunity to become a productive member of society and to achieve their dreams,” noted Ana G. White, Episcopal Church Immigration and Refugee Policy Analyst. “Withholding legal status from these children not only hurts them, but it deprives America of future generations of dedicated citizens, innovators, entrepreneurs and public servants. The DREAM Act will help them.” DREAM Sabbath Campaign The Dream Sabbath Campaign is an interreligious effort, coordinated by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition, to enlist churches to dedicate a Sabbath for dialogue on the Dream Act. Churches can also request that a DREAM Act student come to a worship service to share his or her story between September 18 and October 9. DREAM Act Each year approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. Passage of the DREAM Act is one important step towards the just and humane reform 24
the broken immigration system needs. The DREAM Act was introduced in the 112th Congress on May 11 by Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Harry Reid (D-NV) in the Senate as S.952 and by Howard Berman (D-CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Lucille Roybal-Allard (DCA) in the House of Representatives as H.R.1842. The DREAM Act will not apply to students with criminal records or dishonorable discharges from the military. Rather, the DREAM Act would provide a tough but fair process by which productive, contributing students could gain legal status. Resource: Adapted from National Immigration Law Center: http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/. You Can Join the DREAM Sabbath Campaign!! Stories are essential to moving people into action. Because of the power of stories to move and transcend, I want to invite you and your church to participate in the stories of DREAM Act students on a Sunday between September 16 and October 9. You pick which one; just sign up.
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You can participate in the DREAM Sabbath in a variety of ways. You can: • Read the stories of DREAM Act students during a mission moment and then pray as a church for their wellbeing, • Use the sermon stories or sermon starters in your sermon, • Use the bulletin inserts to educate your congregation, • Use the "Myths and Facts" sheets to dispel misperceptions concerning the DREAM Act, • Use the DREAM students' petition to mobilize your congregation to action, And so much more! Resource: Adapted from Ana G. White, Immigration Policy Analyst, The Episcopal Church/Office of Government Relations Links to additional resources and information are available at http:// www.dionc.org/dfc/newsdetail_2/127
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
By David C. McDuffie
Province IV ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTRIES:
Connecting Ecology With The Worship Life Of The Church Ecologist Frank Golley once claimed that prayer was the best way to acknowledge our connection to the natural environments in which we live. “Prayer,” he wrote, is “a statement recognizing a connection. We need to express our understanding of connectedness by consciously affirming that we are part of environments, connected to them in ways we do not understand and that we accept a responsibility for being connected to another.” It is this notion of connectedness that is at the heart of Province IV Environmental Ministries. About Province IV Environmental Ministries Province IV of the Episcopal Church represents dioceses from nine states across the Southeastern United States. It is the mission of Province IV Environmental Ministries (Prov. IV EM) to provide resources and support for those engaged in environmental ministry throughout the Province by connecting like-minded individuals and communities interested in caring for the Earth from a religious perspective. The central location for this coordinating activity is the Prov. IV EM website (http://www.kinshipearth.org/em4/SitePages/ Home.aspx), which was created and is maintained by the Rev. Jerry Cappel, Coordinator for Prov. IV EM. Included at this location are useful links to other faith-based websites, documents concerning Christian care for Creation, bibliographies and discussion boards for posting updates about upcoming events, asking questions and sharing ideas about environmental ministry work in the Province. The Rev. Cappel has stated that the overall goal of environmental ministry is “to move ecology from the committee to the pew” in order for the connections that bind us all to our natural environments to become a part of Christian formation and not simply a peripheral issue. It is our objective to provide parishes and individuals engaged in environmental ministry with the resources to do just that. Current Province IV EM Projects Ground for Hope-Charlotte Prov. IV EM has partnered with GreenFaith to help coordinate and sponsor the Ground for Hope-Charlotte conference, an interfaith environmental education and training event for clergy, lay leaders, and seminarians that will take place in Fall 2012 in Charlotte, NC. Ground for Hope-Charlotte is a part of GreenFaith’s Ground for Hope Initiative which has sponsored education and training events in New Jersey and Philadelphia with plans for future events in Milwaukee, Boston, Gettysburg, PA, and Austin, TX. Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
We are very pleased to have one of these conferences in Province IV, and it is our hope that another Ground for Hope event will be held in North Carolina in 2013. The CO2 Reduction Handbook The Rev. Cappel has collaborated with Van Tingley from the Diocese of Maine to co-author “The CO2 Reduction Handbook: A Parish Response to Climate Change.” The Handbook is now in the final stages of the editing process and should be ready for parish distribution soon. Travel in Support of Environmental Ministries in Province IV Travel is another means by which we build environmental networks in Province IV. During the past year, the Rev. Cappel has travelled to various locations in the Province in support of environmental ministry projects. If you are interested in having a representative of Province IV EM attend or speak at an event in your community, please let us know. Getting Involved with Province IV EM If you are involved or would like to become involved in environmental ministry work in Province IV, please contact us. Over the past year, we have compiled an extensive database of email contacts for environmental leaders, and we plan to continue adding to that database in order to expand the Prov. IV EM coordinating network. It is our hope that this activity will foster recognition of the relationships connecting us to our natural environments and awareness of the loving grace that binds all together in the process of God’s ongoing Creation. We welcome all who may be interested in joining us to move forward the work of environmental ministry in Province IV of the Episcopal Church. Province IV EM Contacts: Contact the Rev. Jerry Cappel, Prov. IV EM Coordinator, at jjcappel@hotmail.com), and David McDuffie, Prov. IV EM Intern, at dcmcduffie@gmail.com. David McDuffie is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a research focus in Religion and Ecology. He is also a Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and has served as an Intern for Province IV Environmental Ministries since Fall 2010. The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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By Canon Marlene Weigert
of speed limits and sabbaticals Have you ever thought about speed limits? I mean really thought about them, not just idly wondering how fast you can go – and how fast you can get there – before the police pull you over. Right … Me, neither. That is, until I went – kicking and screaming – on my sabbatical. Canon Marlene Weigert in Costa Rica with Bishop Héctor Monterroso and his wife, Sandra, following an Easter Sunday service.
Above, Canon Weigert takes the ziplines over the rainforest in Costa Rica.
Bishop Curry, bless him, insisted I take the time. He pointed out that this wasn’t just about me. This was something that would benefit everyone (No, not because I’d be out of the office!) because I would have a chance to learn something that could benefit the Diocese. My time away, he said, would help me re-energize and reflect on my role in the Diocese. So I prepared for a Type A sabbatical. First, I spent three weeks in April attending a Spanish immersion course in Costa Rica, living with a local family and learning the language, “Following the speed limit is history and about taking time to culture. In May, realize what is important I headed to in our lives—and WHO is the Grand important in our lives— Canyon. Durand then sharing that with ing my tour,
everyone.”
sponsored by RoadScholar, I experienced the hardships of living where things I take for granted—like water and electricity—are not abundant. I saw how hard the life of an American cowboy really is and caught a glimpse of Native American life through the eyes of the Hualapai Indians. In June, I spent seven straight days from 9-5 earning a certificate in non-profit management from Duke University. Then, I ended my sabbatical the way I had begun, on the road, touring London, Budapest and Paris (mostly on foot!) in 12 days. Yes, 12 days. What did I learn? In Costa Rica, I learned that some cultures lack so much in material things but celebrate the things they DO have with love and friendship. The Grand Canyon showed me how insignificant we really are in the grand scheme of things but how critically important we become in caring for our environment. Duke taught me skills that will help me help our
Some sights from Canon Weigert’s Sabbatical include, from left, top to bottom: Lambeth Palace in England; St. Stephen’s Basilica, Budapest, Hungary; Parliament in Budapest, Hungary; Michael Landis, a cowboy from Arizona; Eiffel Tower in Paris, France; and Westminster Abbey in London.
Diocese for a long time to come, and my whirlwind European tour made me reflect on how I spend my time back home. My need for speed, it seems, was making me miss some very important messages. So, when I returned to the office, I decided I would slow things down in my life and practice slowing down until it became habit. I started by literally slowing down. I decided I would go no more than the speed limit when I drove Canon Marlene Weigert’s sabbatical coincided with her nephew’s anywhere. wedding in Hungary. Here, Weigert poses with the bride and groom, I think there’s a correlation between Andrew and Rita Elliott, and family members Isobell and Reki. following the speed limit and how present we are in our own lives. It was certainly easy to “slow down” in the places I had visited - where it seemed their priorities were a little different than mine. I didn’t realize how hard it would be to go the speed limit! It seemed like everyone was whizzing by me, and it was frustrating—almost as frustrating as when I was in another culture and “whizzing” by while everyone one else was slowed down. We have to decide for ourselves, every day, whether we will follow the speed limit or go with the flow, whether we’ll stand up for what we believe in or bend to the pressure of the majority. Do we set an example of obedience or break the law? Do you see a pattern here? What are we called to do as Christians? Can I slow down enough to hear what I am called to do? I don’t think Jesus told God that he wanted to move the date up for his crucifixion to fit into his schedule. (I could be wrong -- despite popular opinion, I was not there!) So, beyond the education I got in every part of my sabbatical, I think the most important realization was that, for me, being called to the lay ministry of the Episcopal Church and being a Christian is about setting an example, not only for my family, but for everyone with whom I am in community. Following the speed limit is about taking time to realize what is important in our lives—and WHO is important in our lives—and then sharing that with everyone. So thank you, Diocese of NC—a Diocese in which our mission statement is Making Disciples Who are Making a Difference; you have not only lived into your mission but have made me a better disciple! Marlene Weigert is the Canon to the Ordinary for Administration in the Diocese of North Carolina. Contact her at marlene.weigert@episdionc.org
for the children The Unique and Remarkable Story of Thompson Child & Family Focus This August, Thompson Child & Family Focus celebrated the 125th anniversary of its founding by the Episcopal Church of North Carolina in 1886. The roots of the institution, however, actually stretch even further back in history. A Teacher and Student Lead the Way Named after Pattie Thompson, the wealthy Bertie County woman who donated a large portion of the initial funding for the first school on the original Charlotte campus, Thompson Institute took form at the hands of Benjamin Bronson, an educator and Episcopal priest. After viewing the vacuum of educational opportunities in Charlotte post-Civil War, Bronson, then rector at St. Peter’s, rallied his vestry to the idea of building and running a boys’ Celebrating 125 Years school in the of Caring for city. BeginChildren in NC ning in 1869, Bronson himSaturday, October 15 self scooped, Anniversary Celebration formed and Metropolitan Charlotte fired the clay (site of the former Thompson for the bricks Children’s Home Orphanage) that formed the first school Sunday, October 16 building. DeEvening Community Prayer Service 7pm spite BronChrist Episcopal Church – Charlotte son’s energy, Bishop Curry to Preach Thompson For more information on events: Toinette Wilkinson Institute closed at 704.644.4371, twilkinson@thompsoncff.org in 1873 due to poor adminis-
tration in 1873. During the 1870s, former Presbyterian turned Episcopalian-by-marriage Edwin Augustus Osborne began studying for holy orders under the tutelage of Bronson. In 1885, after years of thinking that the Episcopal Church should run an orphanage in North Carolina, Osborne asked his former teacher to convey the old Thompson Institute property to the diocese. Bronson agreed, on the conditions that the name “Thompson” remain and that Osborne serve as superintendent of the orphanage. The Board of Managers for the Thompson Orphanage and Training Institution held its first meeting on August 10, 1886, and Thompson officially opened on May 7, 1887. Life in the Early Days at Thompson In the earliest decades, children who arrived at the orphanage received an education and practical job training. Boys learned to grow cotton and vegetables at the orphanage’s farm, worked in the on-site dairy and published the diocesan newspaper, the Messenger of Hope, which by 1895 had a subscription of 2,000. Girls learned to cook, wash and sew. Residents also played games like baseball and mudslinging (a popular sport due to frequent flooding from nearby Sugar Creek) and attended movies, fairs and circuses. Visitors regularly commented on how polite, well-trained and happy the children were in their surrogate Thompson family. A Growing Institution Steady expansion marked the early decades at Thompson. By 1924, the number of residents reached 108, four times what the facility originally accommodated. New buildings sprang up, and older buildings improved steadily. As Thomp-
Thompson through the years 1886 Authorized by the Diocesan Convention, the Thompson Orphanage and Training Institution became the first church-sponsored orphanage in North Carolina
1892 St. Mary's Chapel, built with bricks made from clay dug at the Orphanage, remains the only structure on the original site near downtown Charlotte (open to the public Friday afternoons)
1890s Boys trained in farm work and printing; girls learned cooking, washing and sewing
1887 Thompson Hall, formerly part of the Thompson Institute, housed the first group of children
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1890 New additions: Bronson Hall for the younger children, Superintendent's residence, two-story barn, fenced cow pasture and a brick dairy to provide training for the boys
1914 Federation Cottage opened, funded by churchwomen in the Federation of Thompson Orphanage Guilds
1897 Infirmary added to Thompson Hall
1899 Water lines were run to the orphanage, dining hall and infirmary added to Bronson Hall
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
1922 Edwin A. Osborne Memorial "Baby Cottage" opened
1920s Children attended public schools and local Episcopal churches, joined community programs Making
Photos from the past: Above is a picture of boys oustide Bronson Hall. This photo is featured A Century’s Child by Barbara Lockman. Right: These photos weren provided by Thompson Child & Family Focus from archives.
son grew, its Board of Managers decided to begin sending children to local public schools, making Thompson one of the first such institutions in the South to do so during the 19161917 school year. The principal of one high school praised the Thompson children, commenting that “pupils with every advantage and from the so-called best families are over-shadowed by the pupils in the orphanage in deportment.” On January 30, 1924, the Board of Managers approved a $150,000 building and improvement plan. Bishop Edwin J. Penick of the Diocese of North Carolina superintended the campaign, which included pleas to help raise money for such improvements as giving each child his or her own bed. He designated May 25 as “Thompson Orphanage Sunday,” which
1923 Sadie Tucker Williamson Infirmary (and dormitory) donated by William Williamson
raised $179,191.51 to build several new cottages, a central heating plant and a laundry facility to teach residents yet another trade. While the years during the Great Depression and World War II were lean ones, Thompson adapted. In 1940, the new superintendent, “Pop” Whisnant, began to revitalize the farm and dairy, and, by 1941, the orphanage’s 8-acre garden produced everything from green beans to beets to squash. Throughout World War II, Thompson largely avoided the hardships of rationing; residents ate the products of a farm that had grown to 36 acres. Article and timeline continued on following page >
1925 1937 New buildings: Baker Cottage for Jubilee Committee Boys, Christ Church (Raleigh) Cottage planned gala 50th Anfor Girls, Kenan Cottage for Girls, new niversary Celebration laundry, heating plant, concrete driveway and sidewalks 1926 New administration building dedicated to the memory of Benjamin Swan Bronson
1924 Bishop Penick designed May 25 "Thompson Orphanage Sunday" for Capital Campaign Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
1930s Dwindling operating funds; overused buildings; increased child welfare standards of practice
1943 Thompson Orphanage Alumni Association organized
1940 Institutional Study commissioned through the Child Welfare League of America
1948 Orphanage received $7,500 for rightof-way for the new Independence Boulevard
1945 Cedarbrook Farm purchased in Morningstar Township (Matthews), about 8 miles away
1951 Second farm purchased in Morningstar Township, across from Cedarbrook Farm
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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Thompson through the years continued 1952 Bishop Penick appointed study committee on relocation of Thompson Orphanage 1956 Orphanage Farm provided food for children and livestock, and also yielded profit of $7,776 1960s Period of transition for Thompson Orphanage – new demands, old buildings 1963 Thompson Orphanage Family Care Program initiated 1966 First group home built in Goldsboro, Diocese of East Carolina 1973 Houseparent couples replaced with child care workers and cottage supervisors Second group home opened in Greensboro 1982 The Chapel of the Holy Family completed on St. Peter's Lane campus 1993 Foster Care program opens 1996 Thompson Child Development Center opens in North Charlotte
2005 Name changed to Thompson Child & Family Focus
2009 Opened Early Childhood Services Center on Clanton Road
1954 50-acre tract of Orphanage property leased for shopping center; contributions declined
1957 All livestock was relocated to Cedarbrook Farm property 1960 Hopkirk Report (with 1957 Broten Report) recommended new direction for Orphanage 1965 Name changed to Episcopal Child Care Services of North Carolina 1970 Dedication of new campus for Thompson Children's Home on Cedarbrook Farm site Most of original building on downtown campus bulldozed and cleared 1975 First cottage in Charlotte for treatment of emotionally disturbed children City of Charlotte and State Employees Credit Union purchased remaining downtown property
1994 The School at Thompson opens on St. Peter's Lane campus 2000 The Child Development Center at Hope Haven opens in North Charlotte 2008 Merged with The Family Center
2010 Opened new Psychiatric Residential Treatment Cottages on St. Peter’s Lane campus
2011 Celebrating 125 Years of Caring for Children in NC 30
A brother and sister photography from Thompson Child & Family Focus.
Changing Directions The 1950s brought many changes at Thompson, including the lease of a 50-acre tract of the orphanage for Charlottetown Mall. As a result, the livestock operation moved out to the Cedarbrook Farm property in 1957. More significant than the physical improvements, though, were the changes to Thompson’s mission during the 1960s. The organization shifted focus toward short-term residential care and family rehabilitation instead of long-term institutional care. In January, 1963, Thompson began placing children in foster care, becoming only the third church-related institution in the state to do so. In 1966, Thompson opened the first group home in the state in Goldsboro, further diversifying care. This time period also saw a concentrated effort to involve the family in each child’s care. New Name, New Mission In 1965, Thompson Orphanage became Episcopal Child Care Services, a name that reflected the organization’s changing mission. During Christmas 1970, the children in the residential program moved to the new campus on the Cedarbrook property. In October 1972, a school for children with learning disabilities opened on the original Charlotte campus. Over the next few years, two new cottages for emotionally disturbed children opened in Greensboro and Charlotte. In 1978, the Charlotte campus provided more than ten percent of the total number of beds available to emotionally disturbed children in North Carolina. Today, under the moniker Thompson Child & Family Focus, the organization continues to serve children, more than 9,600 per year, from some of the most difficult homes. The focus on growing healthy children and families remains. Family therapy and education services, along with foster care placement, are centered on the 7th Street campus. The Thompson Child Development Center on the Clanton Road campus nurtures children through age 5 and their families. Up to 150 children and their families benefit from the educational program each year. The Saint Peter’s Lane campus in Matthews houses two residential treatment centers for children who have suffered severe abuse and trauma. The goal, as with all Thompson programs, is to move healthy children into healthy families. It is a goal that Thompson, in all of its forms, has been reaching for the last 125 years. For more information about Thompson, or how you can support the programs there, visit http://www.thompsoncff.org/. This article was compiled by Summerlee Walter and Lynn Hoke using information found in A Century’s Child: The Story of Thompson’s Children’s Home 1886-1986, by Barbara Lockman. Copies of the history are available, used, on amazon.com.
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
Making Disciples, Making a Difference
By the Rev. Paul S. Winton
compline “Ye that by night stand in the house of the Lord, lift up your hands in the Holy place.” (Psalm 134) While Compline is, in a sense, the simplest of services, our observance of it is perhaps the most radical of our liturgical offerings, since Compline addresses one of the deepest and most urgent imperatives of our lives: the need for openness to the leading of God in moments of genuine transcendence. This openness is the only thing asked of those who come to Compline. Those who come seeking this deeper knowledge of God, from whatever stage in their spiritual pilgrimage, need only engage in active, prayerful, spiritual listening and the indwelling of sacred sound. In the extraordinary serenity of this sacred space and time, many feel the presence of God despite doubts and fears and confusion. The Office of Compline originated and took form in Southern Europe and the Middle East during the first six centuries of the Christian era. It was the final monastic office,
“completing” the work of a day that had already gathered the community for worship at six specific times over its course. Scripture, prayer and hymns addressed the quietness of the late evening hour, reflections on the course of the day, anticipation of the opportunities or threats of the coming day and perhaps anxiety about the darkness and possible dangers of the night itself. The modern service consists, as it always has, of psalms, short passages of scripture called “chapters,” an office hymn, the Song of Simeon (Nunc dimittis), collects and a hymn extolling the virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The music consists for the most part of Gregorian chant, ranging from simple psalm tones and strophic hymns to the complex unfolding of an entire musical universe in something like the Ave Regina Coelorum or Salve Regina. From time to time, a magnificent flowering of polyphony interrupts the monophonic flow: one voice becomes many and then one again. In a darkened church illuminated by candles and adorned as of old by the sacred smell of incense, worshipers experience intense spirituality. Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, offers Compline sung in its entirety on Sundays at 9:30pm while the university is in session. The service lasts about 25 minutes and is followed by a brief organ voluntary or improvisation. Contact Dr. Vann Quinn, Organist/Choirmaster at Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, for more information on Compline at vquinn@thechapelofthecross.org.
Photo and information from Chapel of the Cross, Chapel Hill, http://www.thechapelofthecross.org/music/compline.html
Reflecting the Radical Welcome of Jesus
The North Carolina Disciple | Fall 2011
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NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID RALEIGH, NC PERMIT NO. 992
The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina 200 West Morgan Street, Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27601-1338 PHONE: 919.834.7474 | TOLL FREE: 800.448.8775
BISHOPS’ VISITATIONS CURRY 4-Sep-11 Messiah, Mayodan
GREGG
MARBLE
11-Sep-11
Epiphany, Eden
St. Paul’s, Smithfield
Holy Innocents, Henderson
18-Sep-11
House of Bishops – All three Bishops
25-Sep-11
St. Andrew’s, Haw River NCSU, Raleigh, PM
2-Oct-11
St. Christopher’s, High Point All Saints’, Roanoke Rapids
9-Oct-11
St. Mark’s, Huntersville
All Saints’ Greensboro
16-Oct-11
St. Peter’s, Charlotte
St. Luke’s, Salisbury
El Buen Pastor, Durham
23-Oct-11
Emmanuel, Southern Pines
St. Matthew’s, Hillsboro
St. Alban’s, Littleton
30-Oct-11
Grace, Lexington
St. Mark’s/Guadalupano, Wilson
St. Mark’s, Raleigh
6-Nov-11
100th Holy Comforter, Burlington
Good Shepherd, Rocky Mount
13-Nov-11
St. Martin’s Charlotte
St. Alban’s, Davidson
20-Nov-11
St. Mary’s, High Point
St. Stephen’s, Oxford
St. Bartholomew’s, Pittsboro
27-Nov-11
Thanksgiving
4-Dec-11
St. Michael & All Angels, Charlotte
St. Margaret’s, Waxhaw
St. Cyprian’s, Oxford
11-Dec-11
St. Matthew’s, Kernersville
St. Paul’s, Salisbury
Reedemer, Greensboro
18-Dec-11
St. Elizabeth, King
St. Andrew’s, Rocky Mount
Trinity, Fuquay-Varina
St. Andrew’s, Charlotte St. Thomas, Sanford
Bishops’ visitations are subject to change. To confirm a specific date, please contact the Bishop’s office at 919.834.7474 or email Margo Acomb at margo.acomb@episdionc.org.