VOL. 3, ISSUE 4 • WINTER 2012
Common Mission Episcopal/Lutheran church communities not wrapped up in titles Also: The 178th Diocesan Convention
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The Record/Winter 2012
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Convention Address The Record 4800 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI 48201-1399 therecord@edomi.org www.theRecordOnline.org
Bishop Wendell Gibbs Jr. Page 4
Diocesan Convention
Convention Resolutions and Results. Page 6
Phone: (313) 833-4425 The Record is a quarterly magazine for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Vol. 3, Issue 4 Winter 2012 Episcopal Diocese of Michigan Episcopal Church Center 4800 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-1399 (313) 832-4400 • Toll Free (866) 545-6424
The Rev. Susan Carter of St. John’s, Howell
Diocesan News
Gordonwood, Household of God, Diocesan Calendar. Page 14
The Rt. Reverend Wendell N. Gibbs Jr. Bishop of the Diocese bishop@edomi.org
The Reverend Michelle Meech Ministry Developer mmeech@edomi.org
Church Anniversary
The Reverend Canon Lisa A. Tucker-Gray Canon to the Ordinary lgray@edomi.org
Karen Robinson Executive Director Whitaker Institute krobinson@edomi.org
HIV/AIDS Facts Page 19
Canon Jo Ann Hardy Diocesan Administrator jhardy@edomi.org
Eric Travis Missioner for Youth and Young Adults etravis@edomi.org
Sue McCune Executive Assistant Office of the Bishop smccune@edomi.org Beth Rowley Assistant for Program and Administration browley@edomi.org
St. James, Dexter Page 16
Book Review Page 18 Recipes Page 22 The Final Word Page 23
Mark Miliotto Director of Finance mmiliotto@edomi.org Kara Chapman Accountant kchapman@edomi.org The convention Eucharist.
Rick Schulte Diocesan Communications Editor, The Record therecord@edomi.org Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
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BISHOP’S ANNUAL ADDRESS
‘Called to Common Mission’ covers wide range of convention topics “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age’.”[Matthew 28:16-20] Many may recognize this selection from Matthew’s gospel as what is known as The Great Commission. Accepted as the last recorded personal directive of our Savior to his disciples, it holds tremendous significance to all followers of Jesus. The Great Commission is the foundation for evangelism and cross-cultural missions work. I even remember once hearing a preacher remind the congregation that it’s not “The Great Suggestion.” Rather, Jesus has commanded us to put our faith into action. While there are various versions of The Great Commission found in other Gospel texts, in each, Jesus sends his followers out with specific instructions using commands such as go, teach, baptize, forgive and make disciples. For centuries, Christian communities have taken seriously God’s command for mission in this world and much teaching, baptizing and making disciples has occurred. Unfortunately, throughout this same history Christians have also found ways to separate from one another and thus schisms, divisions and various denominational differences
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“This does not mean that our two churches have merged; rather, in reaching this agreement, our two churches have also agreed to respect differences.”
have tended to promote a silo effect in responding to God’s mission. Even to use the term “denomination” when referring to some religious communities can spark controversy. Ah, how we Christians love each other! There is good news! In 1999, the Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Denver, Colorado, voted for full communion between the ELCA and The Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church took its final action on this relationship at its General Convention in Denver on July 8, 2000. These actions set the stage for a liturgical celebration of “Called to Common Mission” to occur on January 6, 2001, the Feast of the Epiphany, at the National Cathedral in Washington,
DC. In January of 2011 celebrations were held to commemorate the 10th anniversary of this historic relationship between Lutherans and Episcopalians! …It is important to note that “Called to Common Mission” is a relationship of full communion. Full communion is when two denominations (two churches) develop a relationship based on a common confessing of the Christian faith and a mutual recognition of baptism and sharing of the Lord’s Supper or Eucharist. This does not mean that our two churches have merged; rather, in reaching this agreement, our two churches have also agreed to respect differences. Because both Churches have ratified “Called to Common Mission” there is opportunity for joint worship, an
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exchange of clergy, and, I believe most importantly, we now share a commitment to evangelism, witness and service in the world. From the “Called to Common Mission” document we read: “We together affirm that all members of Christ’s church are commissioned for ministry through baptism. All are called to represent Christ and his church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to participate in the life, worship, and governance of the church. We give thanks for a renewed discovery of the centrality of the ministry of all the baptized in both our churches. Our witness to the gospel and pursuit of peace, justice, and reconciliation in the world have been immeasurably strengthened.” I wish to take this opportunity to recognize and give thanks for our current partners in mission who are with us today along with their convention delegations: The Rev. Terry Williamson, Pastor of Christ United, DeWitt, and his delegates; The Very Rev. Ian Reed Twiss, Pastor of Holy Faith, Saline, and his delegates; The Rev. Matthew Bode, Pastor of Spirit of Hope, Detroit, and his delegates; The Rev. Manisha Dostert, Pastor of Church of the Advent, West Bloomfield, and her delegates; and, Mr. C.J. Clark, Executive Director of Living Water Ministries. These are just a few of the mission partners and partnerships that are possible as a result of our call and response to God’s mission for us all. Again, from the CCM document: “We do not know to what new, recovered, or continuing tasks of mission this Concordat will Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
lead our churches, but we give thanks to God for leading us to this point. We entrust ourselves to that leading in the future, confident that our full communion will be a witness to the gift and goal already present in Christ, “so that God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). My sisters and brothers, common mission is not simply an Episcopal-Lutheran agreement. The need to respond to a call to common mission – to God’s mission – is something that crosses all denominational boundaries; it even crosses parish, diocesan and provincial boundaries – or at least it should! However, before we can make a full commitment to respond to God’s mission – our common mission – we need to get our heads out of the sand; we need to turn our focus outside of ourselves; we need to understand that as we spend precious time internally fighting about whose theology is right and whose is flawed we lose valuable opportunities to go and teach the Good News of God who loves us all. …In published results of the recent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, it is reported that the fastest growing “religious” group in the United States is the group which claims no religious affiliation! For those who choose to believe that the Episcopal Church has lost membership because of the outcomes of various theological debates, I submit that the findings of the Pew Forum suggest otherwise. In fact, the Roman Catholic Church – the self-identified “one true church” – which is traditionally seen as fully “orthodox” in theological teaching has experienced the greatest net losses in membership as a result of affiliation change. Those losses would be much more noticeable if it were not for the positive impact that immigration is having on membership in the Catholic Church. Loyalty to any one particular brand of Christianity is apparently on the decline while the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
“We can wallow in our distress over declining numbers or we can put our faith into action!”
numbers of those who identify as spiritual but not religious is growing. The bottom line: we are a church in systemic decline! However, this is not the time for wringing of hands or throwing in the towel. Rather, we should be asking ourselves: What is God expecting from a church in systemic decline? I submit that God expects us to shed the arrogance that attempts to place us above those who are different from us culturally, economically or educationally; I submit that God expects us to discard the sense of privilege that destroys the common nature of our call as God’s children and tends us toward selfishness and selfcenteredness; I submit that God expects us to reject the notion of entitlement that tends to put God and God’s church in a place of owing us something simply because we show up on Christmas and Easter or because we went to seminary…Again, we can wallow in our distress over declining numbers or we can put our faith into action! One area where anyone truly interested in responding to God’s mission might find insight is in the results of the Pew Forum that suggests that among young Americans between the ages of 18-29, one-fourth of that population declares no religious affiliation. I suggest this is an important group that is in need of exposure to God’s mission – that common mission to which we are all called by virtue of our baptism. Jesus said: “…go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” Please note here that a nation may refer to a commu-
nity of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, generational affinity, or history. A nation need not have a physical border or have anything to do with common government. So, we can choose to sit around and pretend that such a command is directed toward “foreign missions” or we can wake up and recognize that one nation in need of discipleship is our own young adult population. With cooperative efforts like our participation with Living Water Ministries we can begin to reach out to that community. However, this young adult population is also on our college and university campuses and in the neighborhoods that surround our congregations. We are blessed in the Diocese of Michigan to have two campus ministries that strive in outstanding ways to represent our church to the young adults with whom they come in contact. As a diocese we should be proud that nearly 15% of our Mission Program funding is committed to supporting these ministries. And, while an immediate return on our investment may not be self-evident, it is some of the most mission-minded funding that we, as a diocese, commit to every year! The Rev. Reid Hamilton and the Rev. Sarah Midzalkowski are our chaplains at the University of Michigan and Michigan State University respectively. With all the good they are able to do, they simply cannot do it all without your help. Campus ministry is one place where common mission must be invoked if we are going to make a difference in the lives of tomorrow’s leaders.
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How can you help? That’s truly a stewardship question! I know that both Reid and Sarah would agree that your time, your talent and your treasure are essential to a mission partnership that seeks to help young adults as they struggle to balance school, work and relationship with God with all the other “offerings” of campus life. I strongly encourage you to support campus ministry in this diocese whether your color preference is green and white, maize and blue, or even scarlet and gray! (I have already given to campus ministry!) …Since returning from the 77th General Convention of the Episcopal Church, many folks have asked me, “how was convention?” To each such question I have shared that I believed it to be a grace-filled gathering of the wider Episcopal Church family – a time when various points of view were presented and, in new and helpful ways, all points of view seemed to be heard by all. Much of the rancor of past conventions seemed to have made way for considered conversation and a renewed focus on mission. Of course, my answer to the initial question is generally challenged with another question, “but what about the hot-button topics?” I have been much more careful about my response to this question since the answer really depends on what one’s hotbuttons are! However, I do realize that most folks are referring to one or more of the following: the Anglican Covenant, Open Communion, Church Structure or the blessing of same-sex reContinued on page 20
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DIOCESAN CONVENTION
The rundown
A full list of Resolutions and election results For the second consecutive Diocesan Convention, the budget for the upcoming year was passed unanimously. So much for the financial portion causing any real drama at the 178th Convention, hosted by the Lansing Center. However, a great deal of discussion went into the Resolutions voted upon. Here’s a condensed look at each Resolution. (To find the full text of each Resolution, please refer to the Diocesan website, www.edomi.org). Resolution #1 – Dinwiddie Amended Motion Carried Originator: Diocesan Council Substance Abuse – Annual Recovery Sunday A fair amount of discussion went into this, which opened the Saturday-morning floor. The idea of an Annual Recovery Sunday event was conceived to help those battling various addictions. All congregations were encouraged to recognize this day and to acquaint themselves with resource materials related to this. One of the biggest issues seemed to be where this would best fit into the liturgical calendar. An amended motion from the Rev. Phil Dinwiddie (St. James, Grosse Ile) offered a compromise – establishing the annual date for this as the first Sunday in February – that drew a very favorable response from the Very Rev. Scott Hunter, Dean for The Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit. “Recognizing the first Sunday in February is Super Bowl Sunday…This is a particularly difficult day for those struggling with addiction, particularly alcohol,” Hunter said. Resolution #2 – Dersnah Amended Motion Carried
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The Friday-evening Eucharist at the Diocesan Convention in Lansing welcomed Rev. Dr. Donald Kreiss, bishop of the Southeast Michigan Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, who delivered the guest sermon.
Originator: Diocesan Council HIV/AIDS Education and Awareness Did you know World AIDS Day takes place in December? In part, this comes up because of this resolution seeking – among other things – HIV/AIDS is included in part of each church’s educational programs. The convention declared May 18, 2013 as HIV/AIDS Awareness Day throughout the Diocese, encouraging all congregations to recognize and publicize the day. It also urged all members of the Diocesan staff, plus the clergy and staff of all congregations, to take the web-based, self-directed tutorial on HIV/AIDS prepared by the National Episcopal AIDS Coalition, available at www.neac. org. It’s also part of the reason a story on HIV/AIDS is in this very magazine. (See Page 19).
The Resolution directed placement of a story or information on the subject for the purpose of education. Resolution #3 - Motion Carried – Passed Originator: Diocesan Council Human Trafficking Awareness Day January 11 was declared Human Trafficking Awareness Day throughout the Diocese; all congregations are encouraged to recognize and publicize it and to make themselves aware of various educational resources on the subject. Resolution #4 – Stout Amended Motion Carried Originator: Charles Swinehart, Jr. and the Very Rev. Ellis Clifton, Covenant 5 Support Affordable Health Care for All It began as an effort to get Episcopalians to vote in 2012 elec-
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tions in a manner that considers the impact of how support of specific issues or candidates affects “young people, children, women, minorities, the elderly, and persons with disabilities.” The emphasis on voting was shifted to “prayerful consideration” of these issues. Also, all were urged to seek out various resources to learn more about ‘The Affordable Care Act” (ACA). Also, Episcopalians were “strongly encouraged…to arrange for and host a presentation on the ACA by Michigan Consumers for Health Care, in their parish, deanery or in the diocese as a whole for their members and their communities.” Resolution #5 – Motion passed Originator: Lucinda Keils, Covenant 5 Educate ourselves and others to work to protect God’s Creation and Water in Michigan Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Although it is more commonly found in other states, this Resolution supports placing a moratorium on the “fracking of water in the state of Michigan until proper protections are adopted.” Fracking is the process of using pressurized liquid to release petroleum, natural gas or other substances for extraction from beneath the earth. This process has come under fire in recent years, mainly for causing sinking of the surface above the drilling, affecting the nearby ecosystem, waterways and sewage system. The noise may also affect the presence of nearby wildlife, which in turns affects the available local vegetation. Fracking has also been linked to a rise in earthquakes in the United States (often in areas where earthquakes are not common). The earthquake theory is still in the early stages, but is being carefully reviewed. The Resolution also sought for the Michigan Legislature to regulate fracking operations, including safe disposal of chemical waste and other byproducts of fracking. It also asked for knowledge of this to be made available to churches and its members, both at the congregational level and through Diocesan means, such as the Weekly Connection e-newsletter. Resolution #6 – Motion Carried Originator: Ann Evans Larimore, Covenant 5 Support the University of Michigan’s “Understanding Race Project” Exhibit The Diocese of Michigan is to encourage parishes and other portions of the Diocese to attend the Understanding Race Project exhibit at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History, which runs Feb. 9 to May 27, 2013. Individual and group trips to the exhibit are encouraged. More details are available online at www.understandingraceproject.org. Resolution #7 – Motion as amended by Committee Failed Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
Jean Perez Correa provides information regarding Bexley Hall Seminary and Seabury Seminary in the exhibition hall. Several dozen exhibitors presented information on a wide range of opportunities, goods and services.
A very lively musical presentation was offered during the Friday-night Eucharist
Originator: Ann Evans Larimore and Bruce Donigan - Covenant 5 Public Act 4: Michigan’s Emergency Financial Manager Law Originally intended to repeal Public Act 4 (better known as the state’s Emergency Financial
Manager Law), the argument was not so much about showing displeasure toward the law as it was a means to gather support for repealing the law by asking voters to eliminate it through one of the November ballot proposals.
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A great deal of discussion preceded the final convention vote. “My only concern about this Resolution is separation of church and state,” said Shannon Minzey, a delegate from St. Continued on page 8
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Travis Anderson, a volunteer from Trinity, Belleville, collects ballots during Saturday-morning voting.
The Rev. Diane Morgan, priest in charge at Nativity Church, Bloomfield Twp, raises an issue when discussing wording on a resolution.
Delegates had a wide range of resolutions and ballot issues upon which to vote during Diocesan Convention.
Convention
ing, in essence taking some of the political edge off the Resolution.
John’s, Howell. “It’s my opinion this Diocese should not be expressing its opinion as a whole, but as individuals.” (The end result? Proposal 2 was repealed by a 52-48 percent margin).
Resolution #9 – Motion carried Unanimously Originator: Diocesan Council Establish Formal Companion Relationship with Diocese of the Dominican Republic. This successfully sought a companion relationship “with the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic in Province IX of The Episcopal Church in partnership with the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan, effective immediately and continuing until terminated by mutual consent.”
continued from page 7
Resolution #8 – Motion passed as amended by committee Originator: Lucinda Keils, Covenant 5 Originally listed as “Take a Stand for Workers and Their Families,” the main goal of this was to consider the issues of workers, their rights and working conditions when voting in the 2012 general election. The push toward voting in regards to this issue was altered to “prayerfully consider” these issues when vot-
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Resolution #10 – withdrawn as budget passed. Originator: The Very Rev. Ellis Clifton, Lucinda Keils Diocesan Funding for the Justice
The Rev. Ken Stephens, rector of St. James, Birmingham, makes a point at the podium during discussion of a resolution prior to voting.
and Peace Advocacy Ministries The passage of the 2013 Diocesan budget, in essence, assured desired funding levels for the Justice and Peace Advocacy Ministries. Resolution #11 – Motion Carried Originator: Lucinda Keils and the Very Rev. Ellis Clifton A Resolution reauthorizing the ability to solicit financial support for the Justice and Peace Advocacy and Social Service Support Minis-
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tries of the Diocese of Michigan “In recognition of the stated Diocesan Mission and Ministry Commitment to Justice, Peace, and Diversity, the 178th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan authorizes the Justice and Peace Advocacy Ministries and Social Service Support Ministries to solicit funds from the governing bodies of recognized congregations and individual members of congregasee RESOLUTIONS page 21
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Celebrating Anglican/Episcopal Identity …we are growing joyfully in Christ, pursuing justice and loving and serving God in all persons. As we begin this Advent Season of slowing down in joyful expectation, we are called to renewed hope, joy, peace and love. In this season we are reminded of our connection to countless saints who have given us a worship legacy grounded and rooted in scripture, tradition and reason. Our Anglican-Episcopal family consists of an estimated 80 million Christians who are members of 44 different churches. These make up 34 provinces, four United Churches and six other churches, spread across the globe.
A RE WE A NGLICAN OR E PISCOPALIAN ? The Episcopal Church is part of the Anglican Communion, and is comprised of 110 dioceses in 16 nations. At the head of the Anglican Communion is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. The Episcopal Church, established shortly after the American Revolution, has its roots in the Anglican Church. The Anglican Church, known as the Church of England, had a strong following in colonial America. But when the colonies won their independence, the majority of America’s Anglican clergy refused to swear allegiance to the British monarch as was required. As a result, the Episcopal Church was formed. W E ARE CONNECTED THROUGH :
+BISHOPS
+BOOKS OF COMMON PRAYER +SCRIPTURE, TRADITION & REASON
T HE D IOCESE OF M ICHIGAN We are a diverse group of 79 congregations and two chaplaincies in Southeast and Central Michigan. As part of the R UACH : Renewing Spirit in the Diocese of Michigan, our hope is to build on the feeling of connectedness with Episcopalians & Anglicans around the corner and around the world. As Episcopalians in the Diocese of Michigan, we live out our baptismal covenant connected with Anglicans and Episcopalians around the world. Rooted in our rich heritage, we engage the world through vibrant worship, service to others and sharing and discovering stories of faith. We reflect our tradition's unique legacy, connecting our ancient faith to a modern, multicultural world. As communities that make up the Household of the Diocese of Michigan, we are connected not only through our bishop, structure and style of worship but in the many ways we serve Christ in our several communities. From Episcopal Relief & Development, which reaches across borders and continents to change countless lives, to community outreach gardens at St. Barnabas, Chelsea, we live a long tradition of seeking and serving Christ. We hope you will join us on the journey of renewal!
L ET US P RAY Everliving God, in whose image we are created: Guide and direct the several communities that make up the Diocese of Michigan; that grounded and rooted in our rich heritage, we in our worship and service may connect our ancient faith to a modern, multicultural world. Purify us, that we may reflect the best of Christian virtue as we seek to follow Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
To learn more or to participate in the RUACH Project, visit www.edomi.org or email ruach@edomi.org
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
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COVER STORY
What’s in a name?
The term ‘Lutherpalians’ doesn’t do justice to the work done at several ‘combined’ church communities
By Rick Schulte The moment the Rev. Terry Williamson understood the fundamental purpose of his church came shortly after he first arrived at Christ United Church, DeWitt. “One of the first years I was here, we saw new faces who were not of an Episcopal or Lutheran background.,” he recalled. “One day, I said, ‘We begin our Lenten season with Ash Wednesday.’ Afterward, about half the congregation came up to me and said, ‘Wait a minute. What’s Lent? What’s Ash Wednesday?’” In DeWitt, Christ United was created to fill a specific need, spelled out in a letter from thenBishop Stewart Wood. The goal? In large part, to reach an unchurched population in the region just north of Lansing. The fact that this ‘new’ church (it was previously St. Anne’s Episcopal Church) would be a combination Episcopal/Lutheran church was secondary. That, in a nutshell, explains the concept of these types of congregations. Some refer to them as ‘Lutherpalians’; in reality, the title does not mean as much as the community these churches serve. And there is no hard-and-fast set of rules that makes each of these churches homogenous. They all have traits and goals geared toward the communities they serve.
CHRIST UNITED “There was a realization that there’s a lot of people in the world searching for a faith, who don’t come at it with a particular experience of a person who had a lifetime Lutheran or Episcopal experience who know what the terms ‘Lent’ and ‘Ash Wednesday’ stand for,” Williamson said. “We have to break it down to the basics…
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We can get caught up in what is Episcopal and what is Lutheran, but by that time, we’ve lost people. They’re already confused going into it.” In the Diocese of Michigan, there are four such combined churches, the first being Christ United. The other churches are Holy Faith, Saline; Spirit of Hope, Detroit; and Advent, West Bloomfield. In addition, Camp Michi-Lu-Ca, located about 90 minutes north of Saginaw in Fairview, was established as a Lutheran youth camp but also serves the needs of young people from Episcopal congregations. “We present to people, that have no church home, what is the core of the Episcopal or Lutheran church, without getting tied up in labels,” Williamson said. “How do we share the Christian faith with those who do not know about it? That becomes the focus. The Lutheran and Episcopal becomes secondary… (The titles don’t) affect a great deal of what we do, but it’s our foundation and core.” Even with larger churches popping up nearby, Williamson
is not concerned with ‘competing’. The small congregation does not have the financial backing of larger churches, but “that’s not what we’re about. We have created an open community.”
SPIRIT OF HOPE When the Rev. Matthew Bode was ordained 10 years ago, his role was to become rector of two churches – Trinity Episcopal and Faith Memorial Lutheran, located within a few blocks of each other. There were some built-in challenges from the get-go – not surprising, given the culture of the neighborhood. Established in the 1880s, Trinity was a neighborhood congregation reaching out to the local Irish community. The ethnic make-up may have changed over the years, but the challenges have remained. Faith Memorial was created in 1956 by the Lutheran Church, which was looking to serve the residents of the Jeffries Housing Projects. Similar to Trinity Episcopal, Faith Memorial earned a
The Rev. Ian Reed Twiss administers a blessing during a drive-through ‘Ashes to Go’ outreach last spring at Holy Faith, Saline.
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The Rev. Matthew Bode, pastor at Spirit of Hope, Detroit.
reputation for reaching out to the poor, hungry and homeless. But as a new millennium began, both churches were facing lower numbers – the Trinity neighborhood population was in a steady decline, while the Faith neighborhood changed dramatically when much of the Jeffries Project was closed (and subsequently imploded). In 2006, both congregations combined as Spirit of Hope (in the Trinity building). Because of the nature and history of the neighborhood, Spirit of Hope focuses much of its energy toward issues of justice, racism and community service. “Spirit of Hope has had a huge impact on the neighborhood, only because we’ve let the neighborhood impact us,” Bode said. “Because we’ve let the neighborhood change us, then we have the ability and the credibility to affect our neighborhood. We’re building authentic relationships. “When we know there’s a need in the neighborhood or where there’s an issue in the neighborhood, we’re the first people that people call when they need a gathering space, a small group to talk to, to organize around an issue, to know there’s a place of love in the community.” Building local relationships has been key to the church’s sucEpiscopal Diocese of Michigan
COVER STORY
cess. It hasn’t been a short or easy process, but it’s one that has paid dividends. And the name Episcopal or Lutheran doesn’t matter. “We call ourselves a multi-denominational congregation, not bi-denominational,” said Bode, explaining Spirit of Hope belongs both to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) and the Episcopal Church. But its members also come from unchurched, Methodist, Roman Catholic and other backgrounds, in addition to Lutheran or Episcopal. “It’s definitely not a one-sizefits all,” Bode said. “It’s starts not by deciding one wants to be multi-denominational. It starts by asking, what’s our mission? What’s God giving us to do in our community? What does God want us to be?” Spirit of Hope has Sunday morning service, Sunday Open Mic, plus various services such as youth mentoring, food pantry, community basketball (grades 4-12, mostly boys) and different types of meetings. It adds up to around 400 different faces each week. “We have a lot of people who will never step foot in our sanctuary, at least not on Sunday morning,” he said. But he noted that things such as open microphone events and Spirit Farm, where people work on maintaining a community garden and speak of the Lord’s work while doing so, “we consider that a worshiping community.” HIV prevention, which includes in-house testing and counseling group, is a cornerstone of a church community leaning so heavily towards social justice issues. – making it the first church in Detroit (and possibly in Michigan) to have its own independent HIV ministry. ADVENT The story of how Advent, West Bloomfield shares worship space with Sylvan Lake Lutheran began Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
The Rev. Manisha Dostert joins the choir of Advent, West Bloomfield during the church’s first Episcopal service held at Sylvan Lake Lutheran, which is now home to two congregations. Advent and Sylvan Lake already had an existing relationship, making the combined fit a natural one.
with a financial nightmare, but now seems to have a happy ending. In the course of raising money to a new church, Advent was duped into investing money in what turned into a Ponzi scheme. When that was revealed, the church was in serious financial trouble. Through no fault of its own, the Advent building was foreclosed, leaving the congregation scrambling to find a new home. As the time was winding down in its building, the Rev. Manisha Dostert was named priest-incharge of Advent. Dostert was the first female Lutheran minister to be an associate in a Michigan Episcopal Church when she was at St. Stephen’s Troy, so she was comfortable with both denominations. “I definitely feel that God had a hand in both of our journeys. It was a long, convoluted journey that took us in different directions. We actually had a conversation with a church early on, after we found out we were going to have to move. But we found out, for all kinds of reasons, it wasn’t going to be a good match… “What we were struggling with at Advent was we just created this beautiful building. Could we find a space that did the same thing? We worried a little about the space that didn’t have the up-
dates that we had, but our youth minister said that you can have a fantastic building, but if the people aren’t warm and welcoming, it doesn’t matter.” A good fit was found with nearby Sylvan Lake Lutheran. It helped that the two churches already had an existing relationship, combining resources for things like vacation Bible school, and joint Thanksgiving and Lenten services. “They came in the door and told us the story of how they were going to lose their church,” said Louise Bugg, a member of Sylvan
Lake Lutheran. She remembers there was “an immediate feeling of being sisters and brothers in Christ.” “I definitely feel God had a hand in both of our journeys,” Dostert said. Initially, Dostert presided over a combined service for both the Lutheran and Episcopal “tenants” who celebrated in Sylvan Lake. There are currently separate services for both religions celebrated on Sundays, but many activities are blended – as has been the case for many years. HOLY FAITH The story behind Holy Faith, while similar in some ways to the other Episcopal-Lutheran churches, is also unique. Holy Cross opened as a mission in 1964, holding its first services in the band room of the local intermediate school near Saline. With the Rev. Claudia Wolf and the Rev. Kate Meade serving back-to-back from the late 1970s into the mid 80s, Holy Faith was the first church in the country to have consecutive female vicars. It helped set the tone of it being a ‘progressive’ church, a characteristic that remains today.
Camp Michi-Lu-Ca readies for 50th anniversary event Camp Michi-Lu-Ca opened in 1963, geared toward serving young Lutherans with a camp setting in the highlands of northern lower Michigan. It’s been very successful, serving thousands of young people through the years. The Fairview camp will be holding a 50-year celebration June 28-30, 2013. The camp is operated by Living Water Ministries, a mission of the Lower Michigan synods of the ELCA. The goal is to provide camping and retreat opportunities for young people. The camp is especially well-known in the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan for its annual Bass Lake Festival. Many of our young people attend the Christian music event, held annually in late July. What makes the festival unique is it presents a chance to share the Gospel with a wide range of young people in a relaxed, outdoor setting.
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Faith Lutheran opened in 1966, but soon developed a relationship with Holy Cross. The building, on Ann ArborSaline Road, has housed worship services for both faith communities for many years. But they were still separate churches. However, in the late 1990s, talks began between the Episcopal Church and the ELCA to develop a Christian fellowship. Eventually, the churches approved a ‘Called to Common Mission’ agreement in 2000, opening the door for combining the two congregations. Four years later, Holy Faith was born. After working out some initial kinks by getting members from both original congregations to communicate their hopes and concerns, Holy Faith began to grow, both physically and spiritually. “I’d say that our church community believes in being in service to the world around us and finds a lot of joy in discovering ways to do that. We also have a profound warmth and welcome for anyone who comes in the door,” the Rev. Ian Reed Twiss said. It’s that sort of welcoming mentality that allows the church to do well. Similar to the other combined churches, no one gets too wrapped up in church titles. “The blend of Lutheran/Episcopalian works great because we understand that we are Christians first and because our parishioners are willing to embrace each other’s traditions and not be too rigid,” Reed Twiss said. One of the church’s long-time members, Carolyn Schneider, noted “anyone who wants to seek and learn and love Christ is welcome.” At coffee hour, she explained, “People stay and they talk. And they don’t just talk to the same people every week. They interchange and talk with others… They really want to know who you are.”
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C.J. Clark, the executive director of Living Water Ministries, takes his turn explaining how well the Episcopal/Lutheran relationship works during a panel discussion at the recent Diocesan Convention.
The altar at Christ United Church, DeWitt is unique. It was crafted from 150-year-old barn wood.
Some of the people the church reaches include its teens, who are part of a growing Bible study program. Many of those young people also went to Appalachia for a recent mission trip. The church outreach includes its Seeds of Hope Garden, which helps provide fresh vegetables to a local organization. It also hosts Angel Food Ministries, which provides quality food geared to-
ward persons on a limited budget. This past spring, it provided easy access on Ash Wednesday for a unique ‘drive-through’ event. Many parishioners took part, but many who attended other churches or who were simply curious drove through the church parking lot, where Reed Twiss administered ashes to driver and occupants. They never
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even had to step out of their cars, making it very convenient and creating awareness of the day in the community. “We’re excited to do something like this, to be seen in the community,” said Reed Twiss that day, as cars passing by stopped or honked their horns with approval.
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
COMMENTARY
Learning to hear the whispers of the Holy Spirit is a large part of Ministry Development “I’m a big fan of in a real and tangible the Holy Spirit.” This way. We don’t pay a sentence is a part of priest to do ministry my Facebook profile. on behalf of us. We I’m also rather fond are called to be the of God and Jesus. But priesthood of all the the Holy Spirit has albaptized, regardless ways been the part of of whether we pay a Rev. Michelle the Trinity that I’ve priest to help us in our Meech been able to connect life together. And that with. Even when I was means, we all must be questioning the exislistening for the whistence of God and usefulness of per of the Holy Spirit – our guide religion, I always knew of and felt to living into Christ’s mission in the presence of the Holy Spirit. this world. And I’m quite sure this is why I’m And so, very simply, a Ministry a Ministry Developer. Developer is one who is trained I often get asked questions to help others hear that whisabout what a Ministry Devel- per. We work with individuals oper is. What do you do? What is and congregations to enable and your role? What does that mean? encourage participation in and What is Ministry Development? articulation of Christ’s mission. The term Ministry Develop- Although I am a priest, Ministry ment is often connected to a rela- Developers can be found in all tively new understanding of min- orders of the Episcopal Church istry in the Episcopal Church. – bishops, deacons, laity, and I say “relatively new” because priests. We facilitate conversait started with the 1979 Book of tions, help other ministers deCommon Prayer. A large part velop skills, identify opportuniof the theology that undergirds ties for growth, midwife the birth the expression of worship found of new ministry, explore possiin our BCP is a restatement bilities and connections, guide and refocus of the definition of change work, and generally help “church.” By making baptism a people get out of their own way public sacrament and giving us in embracing their call. our Baptismal Covenant, the arWe often use the phrase “buildchitects of the BCP enabled the ing the plane while flying it” Episcopal Church to start living when we talk about the work we more deeply into a baptismal do; in order to truly listen to Holy ecclesiology – which is that our Spirit, we all have to be willing to understanding of who we are as let go of what we would like the “church” is defined by our bap- plane to look like in the end betism. We are the Body of Christ. cause it’s not our plane. But, as Our baptism is what gives us our the Body of Christ, we are still identity. And our baptism is what called to fly it. calls out of ourselves into minisHere in the Diocese of Michitry with others. gan, my responsibilities as MinBaptismal ministry tells us that istry Developer revolve primarwe all have ministry by virtue ily around the expression of of our baptism alone. And that Total Ministry as it continues also means we are called to en- to embody a vibrant model for gage with one another and with carrying out Christ’s mission in the world as the Body of Christ this part of God’s vineyard. The Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Welcome to St. Stephen’s, Troy
It was truly a warm welcome for the Rev. Susan Anslow Williams, as St. Stephen’s, Troy celebrated a Renewal of Ministry in October. As part of the celebration, she was presented with a unique variety of welcome gifts.
members of the Ministry Support Teams and the other baptized ministers of these congregations do wonderful ministry in their communities. They are growing in both ministry and people during a time when many congregations across the entire church are tempted to turn inward and pine
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for days gone by. It is exciting for a Ministry Developer to work with folks who are so tuned in to the Holy Spirit’s frequency. The Rev. Michelle Meech is “delighted” to be the new Ministry Developer for the Diocese of Michigan.
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DIOCESAN NEWS
Sold
Longtime Diocesan property Gordonwood has a new private owner Gordonwood, the longtime camp and retreat center for young people in the Diocese of Michigan, was recently sold for $580,000 to a private buyer. Many attempts have been made over the years to sell the property, located near Ortonville. In the mid-2000s, it seemed like progress was being made in selling the property to a local school district. However, in the midst of these efforts, the sitting school board members lost in their re-election bids, and the school superintendent left, too. It essentially stalled that deal; shortly after that, the real estate bubble burst and the economy tanked. “As we continued to seek a buyer the value of the property fell,” Bishop Wendell Gibbs Jr. said. “With respect for what the property had meant to so many, a sale to a developer was not desirous.” Indeed, while the Diocese of Michigan recognized the need to sell the property, it did not want to change the quiet complexion
The Gordonwood property, located near Ortonville, has recently been sold for $580,000. Proceeds will help fund the Youth and Young Adult ministry for the Diocese.
of the area. Recently, a private “family” buyer approached the Diocese with an offer to pay the full current appraised value of the property. (Obviously, the property had a higher appraised value before the market devalued; the same appraisal company set the value of the property in its most recent assessment).
There was one stipulation to the sale: Conditions long ago established the property only be sold if the Diocese retains 5 acres and keeps the proceeds of the sale for its Youth and Young Adult ministry. The sale was finalized after getting approval from Diocesan Council. Said Bishop Gibbs: “While this
was not the amount we wanted to realize from this sale, the years of paying thousands of dollars for upkeep, insurance…was taking its toll on our financial well being.” A careful plan is in order for the proceeds of the sale. The Diocese will take time to build up the principal (by investing the net proceeds), which will make it easier to fully support Youth and Young Adult ministries in the future. In addition, the Diocese will no longer have to spend money from its reserves on general maintenance of the long-vacant property. Also, the mortgage obtained by the buyer does not make it possible to develop the property for the foreseeable future. Gordonwood, which was operated by the Diocese for 40 years, will not disappear – at least in name. That’s because the buyer formed a Limited Liability Company to purchase the property, naming it Gordon Wood LLC.
Saying goodbye Two congregations bid a fond goodbye to their longtime pastors. At St. John’s, Royal Oak, the Rev. Linda Northcraft announced her retirement. However, she will remain active in the Diocese as Interim Rector at St. Paul’s, Lansing. Also, Fr. John Hagan, who had been at Trinity, Belleville since 1986, will be moving to West Virginia, where he will lead a church.
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Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
NEWS
‘Welcoming the Sacred! Scared?’ the topic of Household of God event By Rev. Marianna Gronek Have you ever wanted to learn how to live more faithfully into the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our increasingly diverse communities? Have you ever wanted to learn how to encourage your local parish to welcome the stranger, especially if they don’t look, or act, or speak like us? Have you ever wished you knew how to faithfully talk about our differences with more patience, kindness, and a grace-filled spirit of tolerance and heartfelt listening? These are just some of the core questions the Household of God Planning Committee has chosen to address in next year’s 2013 Conference, Welcoming the Sacred! Scared? Next year’s topic holds much resonance within our Diocese and with the greater communities we call home. We also believe community is the fertile field for the hard work of the Gospel, made more faithful to The Way by honest conversation and deep listening. This is increasingly true, given the diverse challenges
we all face – from the economic to the racial, and from the religious to one’s sexual orientation. Won’t you join other lay and ordained members of the Diocese, and other members of local faith communities, as we seek to find ways to achieve a deeper understanding of our differences, while respecting the face of Christ present in each one of us? February’s schedule is also based upon the feedback on your survey responses from past conferences. The day will begin with a light continental breakfast, followed by a keynote given by the Rev. Canon Simón Bautista Betances, Canon for Latino Ministries from the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, and a hands-on workshop directly related to the topic of his first keynote. A catered lunch will then be offered in Barth Hall, followed by another keynote from the Rev. Betances, with the second series of handson workshops directly related to his afternoon message. Worship will be the closing note to a day spent learning how to listen to
one another, and the Holy Spirit moving powerfully in our midst. Plan to join us for this one-day only conference from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m on Saturday, February 23, 2013 at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit. Cost will be $40 if registered by Feb. 4 and $50 thereafter. Information may also be found on the Whittaker
Jan. 5, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Book of Common Prayer course St. Andrew’s, Waterford
Jan. 26, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diocesan Council St. John’s, Plymouth
Jan. 10-11 Ministry Retreat Weber Retreat Center, Adrian
Feb. 2 & Feb. 9, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Book of Common Prayer course St. Andrew’s, Waterford
Feb. 23, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Becoming the Household of God, Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit
Institute page at www.edomi.org or by calling Karen Robinson, at 313-833-4412. The Rev. Marianna Gronek is the chair for the 2013 Household of God. She also serves as rector at St. Michael’s, Grosse Pointe Woods.
New Beginnings
New Beginnings #6, held in October at Christ Church Cranbrook, Bloomfeld Hills, included some lively entertainment for its talent night. The next New Beginnings takes place March 15-17, 2013 at Christ Church, Dearborn.
Diocesan Calendar
Jan. 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m Standing Committee Diocesan Offices, Detroit Jan. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Safeguarding Workshops Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
March 2, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Diocesan Council St. John’s, Plymouth
Feb. 16, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Safeguarding Workshops St. Paul’s, Lansing
March 2, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Book of Common Prayer course St. Andrew’s, Waterford
Feb. 19, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Standing Committee Diocesan Offices
March 15-17 New Beginnings Christ Church Dearborn
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March 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Safeguarding Workshops St. Andrew’s, Ann Arbor March 16 The Deacon in the Liturgy Site TBD
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CHURCHES
Twister St. James responds to spring tornado during its 175th anniversary year
The 175th anniversary year for St. James, Dexter was punctuated by a March tornado which devastated the local community. The church was not touched by the tornado, but has had to do a great deal of outreach to help members of its congregation, plus others in the village.
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It was a warm spring afternoon filled with heavy rainfall, wind and hail when the Youth Group at St. James, Dexter was wrapping up with its activity for the day. With the skies turning green, everyone decided that after grabbing a few hailstones, it was a good idea to head for the basement of the church. March 15, 2012 proved to be a date residents of the village of Dexter will never forget. A tornado roared through town. While the church was untouched, the community was affected in a major way. “I’d say we were all stunned when the tornado directly hit the village,” said the Rev. Carol Mader, rector at St. James. “First responders and volunteers were out right away, but there was a lot of confusion about what was going on.” In a year where the people of St. James were preparing to celebrate their 175th anniversary, the focus quickly turned to providing help wherever it would be needed. Because of the damage caused by the tornadoes and knowing there would be a great deal of work to be done, Bishop Wendell Gibbs Jr. asked for donations to be sent to St. James. The result? More than $16,000 came in from the Diocese and from across the Midwest. But using that money presented an interesting challenge. “We quickly discovered that many people in the community thought another of their neighbors was worse off than they were,” Mader said. “We’d go to that neighbor, and they would Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
point us to someone else. So it has been hard to give the funds away. “On the Sunday after, a few of us from St. James went walking through one of the hardest hit areas (the other was closed off to non-homeowners), and we were amazed at the level of destruction. We took homemade breads and cookies to anyone who would take them. For about three weeks, we did walkabouts, looking for folks to help.” Four families from the congregation were directly affected by the storm. While one family was able to relocate to another family home in Dexter, the other three families were not as fortunate. As a result, the church helped pay for repairs and insurance deductibles. They also provided gas cards and grocery cards to those who expressed a need for help. “A blessing to us was that we were able to provide housing for a single mom, with three kids and pets,” Mader said. This was at the church’s Mission House (which used to be the church rectory). As that family got back on its feet, another moved in as the house continues to undergo repairs and updates. “This has been a blessing because it became clear to us that this house should be used for transitional housing of some sort in the future,” Mader said. “So, we have our ears to the ground to find who needs this space next.” That sort of practical thinking has been a part of the history of St. James. After years of services in an old log cabin just outside of town, starting in the 1820s, Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
and also in a schoolhouse, a new church was built in 1855. Only four years later, the mortgage was paid off (in part from pew rentals; the most desirable pews rented for $85 annually and offered a seat close to the heater). Also, in the 1920s, the old church was partially torn down and rebuilt with a lower roof line, which was done to decrease heating expenses. The church was able to celebrate its anniversary as planned, highlighted by a concert from Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Carrie Newcomer at the Dexter Performing Arts Center. The concert was part of the celebration, for sure, but also came at a time where the Dexter community needed a break from the heavy work of recovering from the tornado. And while there was a ticket cost for attending the event (which went to help support the church’s Faith in Action program), anyone unable to pay was still allowed to come in and enjoy the show. “What a way to usher in a 175th anniversary,” Mader said. The small church building of St. James is very cozy. The Rev. Carol Mader is rector for the church, which is located near downtown Dexter.
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BOOK REVIEW
In ‘Leaven of Malice’, humility, kindness go a long way “Give us grace so to put away the Professor Vambrace doesn’t leaven of malice and wickedness, enjoy frothing at the mouth and that we may always serve you in is deeply ashamed of hitting his pureness of living and truth” from daughter, Pearl. He’s out for reThe Collect for Easter Week, BCP venge, because he’s sure Solomon’s 224 Bridgetower’s widowed mother Robertson Davies (1913-1995) a posted a false announcement of Canadian author who understood Pearl’s engagement to Solomon human frailties, deplored bad con- specifically to humiliate him. duct on every level, but Dean Knapp of St. also delighted in the Nicholas Cathedral dramatic possibilities feels he has been igsin provided for charnored and belittled by acters in his novels. As the planned marriage. I reread Leaven of MalHis Cathedral is listed ice, I saw how clearly as the location for the Davies had illustrated nuptials, but no one has Dawn the harm caused by consulted him. McDuffie human sin, and the Aunt Puss, officially strange turnabouts Miss Pottinger, feels possible when a person the unruly Cathedral decides to live a different way. music director, Humphrey CobGloster Ridley, the first char- bler, must have placed the false acter we meet, is the hard work- announcement as he had been ing editor of a daily newspaper. caught singing rounds and dancDespite his many advantages, he’s ing in the Cathedral on the anhaunted by deep anxieties, and be- nouncement was published. She lieves an honorary degree would is a quiet, unmarried lady, but her protect him from public derision. ability for malicious false witness Envy only makes Gloster more has no limit at all. miserable, and that’s the truth for Pearl and Solomon are appealmost of the characters. Wrongdo- ing young people, but both have ing doesn’t make them cheerful. given in to a form of despair. The
false engagement announcement, and even the violent outburst of Pearl’s father help them break away from despondency. Cluelessness isn’t a traditional category of sin, but Davies exposes it as laughable, especially in scenes where Norm Yarrow, PhD, tries to create wholesome recreation among young adults of the Waverly University Community with a combination of gin punch and party games involving a great deal of body contact. But Norm gets a firm set down when his unquestioning self-regard leads him to suggest to Professor Vambrace that he has an unnatural sexual interest in his daughter, Pearl. Vambrace may be a deluded man in the throws of extreme anger, but he’s also a classical scholar of the old school. His final sentence to Norman says it all. “…if you dare to repeat any of this filthy nonsense to anyone else, I shall not only drive you out of this Univer-
sity in disgrace, but I shall take you to court and strip you of everything you possess!” Ultimately, no character emerges as a perfect human being, but most have a chance to make amends before the conclusion. Only the person motivated by malice is overthrown and forced to leave. Mr. Bevill Higgin has moved through the community propelled by self-importance and pride. His malice has acted as leaven, spreading from the newspaper office to the University, the Cathedral and on into the city of Waverly. Countless people have been affected, but mysteriously, no one has been harmed. Genuine humility, kindness and reason create a happy ending. Reviewer Dawn McDuffie is a member of the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit.
Going Green St. James, Grosse Ile hosted Little Angels Night Nov. 28. Forty children came out to create a wreath or table decoration they could take home and use for celebrating Advent. The event was part of St. James’ 85th annual Greens Market. It’s estimated that over the years, approximately 21,000 wreaths and 15,000 tabletop trees have been created.
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Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
HIV/AIDS
Judgmental attitudes, even among religious, impact treatment of millions
By David Barstow There is a stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. People known to be – or even thought to be – infected by HIV are often shunned, condemned and rejected by family, friends and community, resulting in needless suffering for millions. Fear of such treatment causes people to avoid testing and to delay treatment. Stigma is so strong and widespread that it has a significant effect on the pandemic – HIV spreads faster because of stigma. A 2011 study by the HIV Prevention Trials Network showed that timely treatment prevents further transmission of the virus. But because of stigma, testing is often delayed and treatment is often not timely. So, we have the medical and scientific knowledge that we need to end the pandemic, but stigma prevents us from taking full advantage of that knowledge. The sad fact is that the stigma of HIV and AIDS could be dramatically reduced if the world’s faith communities were to take the right kinds of action. Historically, many faith communities have proclaimed judgmental attitudes towards people living with HIV. That has changed to a degree, and silence is now more common. Unfortunately, silence reinforces stigma. Faith communities that take proactive steps to fight stigma are still relatively rare. The problem was highlighted at a recent conference in Lilongwe, Malawi, dealing with the faith response to the AIDS pandemic. EMPACT Africa, a nonprofit created to fight stigma, conducted a survey of participants, focused on the faith communities where the participants worship. The survey included questions about the knowledge and beliefs of the members, as Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
well as the actions taken by the faith community in the previous year. The primary output of the survey was a rating for each faith community on a list of ten characteristics of a Stigma-Free Faith Community. At the conference, there were about a hundred responses to the survey, largely from Christian faith communities, but also including other faith traditions such as Islam. In looking at the full set of responses, the most striking result involved comparing two specific characteristics. Characteristic #9, focused on teaching the personal responsibility of members to avoid risky behavior, had one of the strongest ratings. Characteristic #5, focused on consistently delivering messages of compassion rather than judgment, had by far the weakest rating. The difference between these two characteristics might be referred to as the Compassion Gap, which can be summarized by saying that we are much better at telling other people how to live than we are at telling them that we love them. The Compassion Gap is a root cause of the stigma associated with HIV and AIDS. The survey sample size was too small to draw broad conclusions, but the results should at least give faith communities some pause for reflection, not only in Africa where the HIV prevalence rates are highest, but also here in the United States, and in other regions as well. What message are we giving to the members of our faith communities? If it is more about judgment than love, then is it any wonder that people with HIV feel stigmatized, and that they are reluctant to seek help where they worship? Fortunately, local faith communities can fix the problem by taking proactive steps. First, ob-
viously, is to put a lot more effort into messages of compassion. Messages of personal responsibility are important, but must be balanced by messages of love and compassion. In addition, there are two specific best practices that can be quite effective and that were not used very often by the faith communities in the survey. One involves the personal testimony of people infected with HIV — such testimonies help move the discussion from theoretical issues of dogma to the realities of life for real human beings. The second is for faith leaders to be publicly tested for HIV — such actions demonstrate that we are all in this together, that
there is no “Us vs. Them” in fighting the AIDS pandemic. As more and more local faith communities take proactive steps such as these, the Compassion Gap will be reduced. People living with HIV will realize that faith communities can be places of hope, not judgment. People will be more willing to be tested, and treatment will not be delayed. Fewer people will become infected. We will finally turn the tide on the AIDS pandemic. David Barstow is Founder and President of EMPACT Africa, a non-profit dedicated to working with local church leaders in southern Africa to fight the stigma of HIV and AIDS.
Quick Facts on HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS is a crisis in the United States that has been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. Legislative representatives, state/local/ federal agencies and the larger community, including the faith community, are critical partners in ending this epidemic and assuring the health and wellbeing of all citizens. • Over one million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. • Approximately 56,300 new infections occur each year. • It is estimated that every 9-1/2 minutes someone in the U.S is infected with HIV/AIDS. • Of those infected, approximately 21 percent (one in five) are unaware of their infection. • Heterosexual men and women living below the poverty line were twice as likely to be HIV-positive compared to those above the poverty line. • Racial and ethnic minorities represent the majority of new infections, of people living with HIV/AIDS and AIDS deaths.
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• Approximately one in 16 AfricanAmerican men will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. • One in 30 African-America women will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime. • Hispanic/Latino men are twice as likely to receive an HIV diagnosis as compared to white men. • Hispanic/Latino women are almost four times more likely to be diagnosed HIV-positive than white women. • In the U.S. most new infections occur among men who have sex with other men and African-American youth, ages 13-29. (Information provided is courtesy of NASTAD Guide to Faith Communities).
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Bishop
BISHOP’S ANNUAL ADDRESS
continued from page 5
lationships. Let me offer a brief word about the first three and then spend a bit more time on the fourth. Regarding the Anglican Covenant, there have been several iterations of covenant; several years of workshops, discussion groups and countless attempts to engage the entire church in conversation about a covenant intended to unify the Anglican Communion. The point of all this engagement was to see if The Episcopal Church was ready or willing to sign on to such a Covenant. Then, almost immediately prior to the start of our General Convention, word came from the Church of England…the Covenant had been rejected for the time being. That action seemed to take the steam out of anything The Episcopal Church was expected to do. As a result, the resolutions that finally passed General Convention recommended that The Episcopal Church continue to monitor ongoing developments with the Anglican Covenant while reaffirming our church’s commitment to the Anglican Communion. In short, neither a no nor a yes to the Covenant as currently written was given. On the topic of Open Communion, much has been made by some that opening the reception of Holy Communion to anyone regardless of whether or not they have been baptized is a form of radical hospitality. The General Convention ultimately did not agree. The resolution adopted reaffirms that Baptism is normative prior to the reception of Holy Communion. …Church structure seems to be a more difficult topic to embrace. I believe there is reform that is needed on how we do things; reform that will empower our Church to use more of its resources for mission rather than on ourselves…I am hopeful that we finish our task on structural
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“...I have seen the church and society presume to try to take on God’s role of judgment while still not being able to see with the eyes of God and I believe God is leading us to even newer understandings of what it means to see the human heart.”
reform quickly and efficiently so that we can move beyond what I have experienced as a much too long of a layover in self or inward focusing. Time is ticking and if we are going to truly address issues of systemic decline and be the missional church God is calling us to be we need to do that sooner rather than later. Lastly, I want to comment on General Convention’s vote to provide a liturgy for the blessing of same-sex relationships. The issue of same-sex blessings has significantly polarized society and has similarly become a divisive issue in the Church. There are those who say that it is morally wrong and against God’s law to bless same gender relationships. Others say that it is a matter of justice that these relationships be fully recognized and blessed. Both perspectives have leaned on Scripture, theo-
logical reflection, Church history and tradition, and science. Each is willing to presume the absolute rightness of their position regardless of the consequences to the one with whom they disagree. As Anglicans we often find ourselves between hardened positions and we seek a middle way. As Christians, Jesus calls us not to be right but to be peacemakers. … At the 77th General Convention meeting in Indianapolis, a resolution was passed by both houses of Convention that authorized for provisional use a liturgy designed to be used to witness and bless the lifelong covenantal relationship between persons of the same-sex under the direction and with the permission of the bishop of the diocese. Further, the resolution upholds the canonical provisions which allow discretion for the members of the clergy who may decline to pre-
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side at any such rite of blessing. The resolution also calls for the honoring of the theological diversity of this church with regard to matters of human sexuality such that,“no bishop, priest, deacon or lay person should be coerced or penalized in any manner, nor suffer any canonical disabilities, as a result of his or her conscientious objection to or support for the General Conventions action with regard to the blessing of same-sex relationships.” Some of you are already aware that I voted yes on this resolution since this vote was completed by roll call in the House of Bishops and the result is a matter of public record. I voted yes because I believe God is continuing to reveal to the Church the breadth and depth and inclusive nature of God’s love for all of creation. I voted yes because I have seen the BISHOP continues on page 21
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Bishop
continued from page 20
Much discussion went into all aspects of Diocesan Convention, including the challenges of meshing Episcopal and Lutheran communities.
Resolutions
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tions in support of the following ministries:” Social Service Support Ministries (May include but are not limited to): Back Door Pantry, St. Clare’s, Ann Arbor; Bound Together, All Saints, Pontiac; Grace Detroit Outreach; Hearts Community Service, Chelsea; Mariners Inn; Oasis TBLG; God’s Harvest Garden, St. David’s, Southfield; Grace, Mt. Clemens, Community Supper; St. Peter’s, Hillsdale Free Clinic; Sunshine Community School, Detroit. Justice and Peace Advocacy Ministries: Covenant 5; American Friends Service Committee Michigan Criminal Justice Program; Breakfast at St. Andrew’s, Ann Arbor; Criminal Justice Advocacy, Church of the Incarnation, Pittsfield Twp.; Disability Awareness and Abolish Bullying Ministry; Economic Justice Commission; St. Barnabas Peace Garden; St. Katharine’s Adult Day Care (Advocacy Component St. Katharine’s, Williamston, adult day care); St. Matthew & St. Joseph Greater Woodward Community Development Corporation’s Farm Bill Advocacy; Teen Afterschool Program, All Saints, East Lansing; St. Stephen’s, Troy Grace in Action Youth Arts Initiative; Transgender Bisexual Lesbian Gay Concerns Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
Resolution #12 – withdrawn as budget passed. Originator: The Very Rev. Ellis Clifton, Lucinda Keils Diocesan Funding for the Social Service Support Ministries of the Diocese of Michigan Similar to the outcome of Resolution #10, the passage of the 2013 budget struck down the need for this Resolution. Balloting Report The following were the top vote-getters in each category. Cathedral Chapter Lay Order – Amber Barnes Commission on Ministry Lay Order – Amanda Philips Clergy Order – Beth Scriven (elected on second ballot) Disciplinary Board Lay Order – Ethlyn Rollocks Clergy Order – Ray Babin Standing Committee Lay Order – Kirk L. Lindquist Clergy Order – Carol Mader (elected on second ballot) Trustees of the Diocese Lay Order – Robert Dawson, Troy Harris, Michael B. Stewart, Paulsen Vandevert Clergy Order – S. Scott Hunter Bishop’s Appointments to Commission on Ministry Robert Kerr and Joyce Holden
church and society presume to try to take on God’s role of judgment while still not being able to see with the eyes of God and I believe God is leading us to even newer understandings of what it means to see the human heart. I said yes, because as a sinner bathed in God’s love and forgiveness, I am prepared to be wrong but I am not prepared to be an obstacle to God’s grace wherever God chooses to shower it! Having said this, I remind you all that the use of the liturgy for blessing of same-sex relationships is subject to my direction and permission. First, beginning no sooner than First Advent this year, that being Sunday, December 2, I will permit the use of the General Convention authorized liturgy entitled “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing” for provisional use throughout this next triennium. For a priest to make use of this liturgy the priest must notify me of his or her intention to use the liturgy and the priest must be in conversation with their Vestry or Bishops Committee and obtain their support for its use in the congregation. If changes from what is printed are desired in the liturgy, permission must be obtained from me in writing prior to implementation of any change. Following the use of this liturgy, the cleric is expected to submit to me an evaluation citing places where the liturgy may need further revision or refinement so that this information can be collected and forwarded to the Standing Commission. Because the State of Michigan currently carries a Constitutional amendment defining marriage that does not include same-sex relationships, the use of “I Will Bless You and You Will Be a Blessing” is not to be celebrated
The Record/Winter 2012
as a wedding and care should be taken to maintain the integrity of the two different services. Thus, the use of words such as “marriage” or “wedding” when announcing or referring to services of blessing are inappropriate and not to be used. Finally, I will not tolerate any dishonoring of opposing viewpoints from either side of the matter. No one and no congregation will be forced to use this liturgy; no one and no congregation will be forced to perform the blessing of a same-sex relationship. If any harassment is experienced I ask that you bring it to my attention immediately. Now, I realize that my pronouncement…has disappointed some in the diocese and others will rejoice. As in all things where there has been disagreement I assure you that the door remains open for conversation and the exchange of ideas. I will not stop listening so long as we all have a chance to be heard. The only way there can be a winner here is if God continues to be glorified in the ways by which we seek to live with and love one another in the same way that God loves us: unconditionally. Then God will be the winner! This is a mission common to us all. Before I close, I want to make two further comments: one is personal and one a challenge. I personally wish to thank each of you for your prayers and expressions of sympathy following my dad’s death in May. Anyone who has experienced the death of a parent knows that it is not an easy grief journey to make. Yet, your outpouring of love made the journey a lot more bearable. To those of you who sent personal notes; a special thank you. In my home office I have several foot high stacks of notes, cards and letters. I transported many of those cards and letters with me to Florida so that my stepmother could also be embraced by your words of love. It is simply not Continued on page 22
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Bishop
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possible to respond to each of them individually, but please know of my sincere appreciation for your thoughtfulness. On behalf of my family, thank you! And now, the challenge: At first glance it appears that we have at least three categories of congregations here in the Diocese of Michigan: a) That they are growing. b) That they are dying. c) That they are just holding the status quo. I don’t have to tell you which category your congregation is in; you can figure that out just by looking around you on Sunday morning and by reviewing the ministry that happens or doesn’t happen through the efforts of your congregation. Regardless of the category your congregation is in your
There’s even more news to follow at theRecord Online.org Including: The ordination of Robert Alltop Advent photos
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challenge is to move to a different place. I don’t necessarily mean a physical place (although for some congregations such a move would improve the circumstances dramatically). By moving to a different place I mean to a different mindset. Don’t be satisfied with holding the status quo; don’t wallow in the pangs of death; don’t be boastful about your increasing numbers; rather, look around your neighborhood context (your community context). What is it that your church can do to make a difference in that context? What do the people around you need that the church can respond to? Don’t go crazy trying to become like the big non-denominational church on the corner – be Episcopalian; tell and live the Anglican ethos; be authentic in your faith and share what difference having Jesus in your life means to you. Don’t forget that you have mission partners nearby that can help. Most of our communities boast one or more ELCA congregations and many of those fit into these same three categories. We are called to a common mission of teaching, proclaiming and bringing people to Jesus. Discover what “nation” of people needs discipleship and then go, teach, baptize, forgive and make disciples as only you and your faith community can do in that context. Lose the prideful arrogance, the air of privilege and the sense of entitlement – it’s killing us! Such things neither serve God nor further God’s mission. Put your faith into action. As humble servants we “give thanks to God for leading us to this point” and we now step forth into whatever is next in the faith and confidence that God is with us always, “to the end of the age.” May it be so! The full text of Bishop Gibbs’ address may be found at www. edomi.org.
Enjoy these holiday recipes We hope the Advent season is enjoyable for you and your family. Part of the fun associated with the holidays is gathering around the table for meals and treats. We present these recipes from Tiffani Schulte, wife of the editor for The Record. Tiffani is a prize-winning home cook. Shrimp Puffs 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese Tiffani 1 cup mayonnaise Schulte 8 ounces of salad shrimp, defrosted (can also substitute with canned crab meat) 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt 12 ounce pkg. of English muffins, split in half and cut into quarters Mix first four ingredients together. Spread on the English muffin quarters. Place on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees, until cheese is melted and puffs are golden brown in color. Favorite Onion Dip 2 large onions 4 tablespoons butter 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground pepper 4 ounces softened cream cheese 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise Red-hot sauce (like Frank’s) to taste (about 8 dashes) Cut onions in half and then thinly slice. Heat the oil and butter together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, a few shakes of red-hot sauce and the salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden brown. Allow the onions to cool completely. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise, by hand or with a mixer, until very smooth. Add the onions and mix well by hand. Taste for seasonings and adjust as desired. I always double the recipe for parties!
Aunt Kathleen’s Orange-Date Cookies 2 cups walnuts, finely ground 1/2 cup dates, cut into small pieces 1/2 cup sugar 1 tsp. vanilla grated peel of one orange 3 egg whites additional sugar Mix the nuts, dates, orange peel and vanilla and set aside. Beat the egg whites to a stiff peak and fold into the other ingredients. Sprinkle sugar liberally over parchment paper lined baking sheets. Drop the mixture by the spoonful onto the paper. Let sheets stand eight hours or overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes, or until lightly browned. Cook on rack for 5 minutes and remove. If you have a seasonal recipe you’d like to share for the next edition of The Record, send it to submit@edomi.org or mail it to The Record/Episcopal Diocese of Michigan, 4800 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48201. Please leave a contact number if you mail a recipe.
The Record/Winter 2012
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
THE FINAL WORD
To everyone who volunteers, it’s time for a hearty ‘thank you’
I’m not about to have an understandclaim full, card-caring that the people rying membership running around, tryin the ‘Episcopal Ining to make things run sider Club.’ I don’t smoothly, are actually know all the canons. volunteers. I don’t have the Book It reminds me of a of Common Prayer button I saw an overRick memorized. But I atworked woman wearSchulte tend Diocesan Couning at an event years cil meetings on a ago. It read, “Don’t regular basis, went to yell at me, I’m a volthe General Convention this past unteer!” It sounds funny, but in summer in Indianapolis, and just reality, some people need that completed my third Diocesan reminder. Convention. What’s the incentive to volunI know enough about the Epis- teer? Some days, I have to woncopal Church to be so bold as to der. For something like a consay this: vention, you get up early, stay on Volunteers are awesome. your feet all day, drop from exI can say this comfortably be- haustion…And often, you wake cause I understand how events up and repeat the process. In the like this simply could not happen end, the job gets done. without the work of volunteers. And so, knowing how much Volunteering can be fun. But it’s they did to help our Diocesan not always fun. Sometimes, folks Convention run smoothly, I say will show up for an event and not “thank you.”
Found on Facebook Who is Your Favorite Saint?
Paul Castelli: St. Ciaran of Clonmacnoise is definitely up there – certainly my favorite of the Celtic saints. And being a product of Jesuit education, St. Ignatius de Loyola will always have a special place in my heart. Julie Marie Ford: Maybe Hildegard of Bingen. I also love St. Francis. And being a musician I guess I gotta throw a vote in for Cecilia!
On South Carolina’s Decision to Leave the Episcopal Church Episcopal Diocese of Michigan
But it shouldn’t stop there. Take a look around. Your church is probably looking pretty spiffy for Advent. Guess what? Someone had to dress it up. Someone had to say, “Sure, I’d love to stay home on this cold day, but the church needs my help.”
Conventions don’t run themselves. Churches don’t decorate themselves. And the people who make it all happen deserve a pat on the back. Rick Schulte is editor for The Record and director of communications for the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.
Juan Perez Correa: I wonder if it is about a charismatic leader’s search or hunger for power rather than dissension with regards to certain stances that the Church has taken. We (Episcopalians) are a community of Christians, which affirm and respect the multifaceted experience of God and Jesus Christ in our lives.
Post-Election: Let’s All Get Along
Suzanne Johnson: All of my friends who share Christ’s love are saints to me.
Edie Woods: St. Francis
Volunteerism was out in full force in Lansing at the 178th Diocesan Convention, held in October.
Reggie Rogers: It all starts at home! Amazing how we can all cheer for the Tigers one minute, then launch into angry political discourse the next. Let’s set the example Congress should follow. Don Cardwell: An old friend decided that I am a Communist, Satan-Worshipping Race Traitor, and is proud that he doesn’t compromise. It may take a little time.
What Did the Election Say About Our Country? Adrienne Trupiano Stepaniak: Very divided. Frankie Lacy: That although there is division, overall we are choosing civil rights and ethics over money and control over what others do.
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The Record/Winter 2012
Episcopal Diocese of Michigan