Friday March 20, 2009

Hello and welcome to the March 20 edition of the eSpirit of Wyoming!

I send you greetings from Texas! I am at the annual conference of Episcopal Communicators and learning a lot that I hope to bring home and share with the parishs in Wyoming. My primary reason for attending this conference was specifically some sessions on communication planning for churches and church websites. I would like to assist interested churches in either updating your current communication plan or developing a plan (to include a plan for websites, as well). This doesn't mean WRITE the plan, but assist the parish in developing a plan. A good plan (any plan) has to come from the stakeholders involved, and in this case, from the church itself. Please contact me if this is of interest!

A reminder that if you have articles you would like to share with the rest of the Diocese, please email them (and a picture if you have one) to info@wyomingdiocese.org. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering news or events, but anything you would like to share. It has been really fun to get to meet so many of you via email and get the stories of what is happening in the Diocese! I hope you can share the eSpirit with others, as the more subsribers, the more stories...the more stories the more sharing...and the more connected we are around Wyoming (and the world, as there are several national and international folks on the eSpirit list, too). Signing up is easy! Just go to www.wyomingdiocese.org and enter your email address in the newsletter box or to www.spiritofwyoming.org to sign up and read past issues.

So thanks and keep the stories coming!

God’s peace,

-Andrew

Email: andrew@wyomingdiocese.org or call (+1) 307.265.5200

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John Masters sat down with Andrew Kerr for an interview about the Foundation and the Mustard Seed Mission project. This link is posted in Diocese's account with MyPodcast

Give it some time to load...it may take a few minutes. OR, click on one of the many podcast options, including sending the file directly to iTunes.

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By Mr. John Peacock. Email: mettenheim@msn.com

St. Mark's Offers Service in the Style of Taize at 7 p.m. on March 20

Our faith begins and ends in worship; yet so often our worship can be submerged in a welter of instruction, edification and exhortation. At times, there is little opportunity for corporate quiet, for reflection, for focusing in on the God who speaks to us in the silence of our hearts. The great contribution made by the Taizé Community has been the popularizing of a more contemplative approach to public worship. That there is a need for it is amply demonstrated by the sheer number of young people who flock to Taizé in France year after year to drink at this very refreshing, spiritual fountain, and happily spend quite long periods of time in reflective singing and corporate silence. Taizé provides people with essential ingredients of time and space; to discover more about themselves and other people, and above all to discover the God who comes and addresses them at the very core of their being. Many people have testified that the worship of Taizé has enabled them to pray for the very first time.

The music of Taizé, and the approach to worship suggested by it, can be both liberating and challenging to those brought up on other models. Unlike hymns or choruses, Taizé chants don't have a beginning and an end in the ordinary sense. They usually consist of quite short devotional phrases sung repeatedly. The idea of singing the songs over and over again is so that the words may gently sink into our subconscious and, almost without us realizing it, become a form of prayer - so that by singing we are praying. Instruments of all kinds add to the beauty of the chants as they are repeated over and over. A flute or oboe, bassoon or cello, violin and viola improvise on the melody to support and enhance the basic accompaniment of guitar or keyboard.

Please join us on the 20th of March. St. Mark's is located at 1908 Central Avenue in downtown Cheyenne. While the service itself will begin at 7:00 p.m., our doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for those wishing for a time of private meditation. Please enter from the handicap-accessible Kingham Walkway that is located immediately to the west of our main entrance facing 19th Street. It will be lit with luminaries and easy to find. A Reception will follow the service in the Church's Parish Hall.

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By Ms. Mary Erickson. Email: Mary@sjecjh.org

The Episcopal anti-racism training, “Seeing the Face of God in Each Other,” will be offered at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Jackson, WY on April 20-21 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Cost to attend this two-day workshop is $50.00 – which will include lunch and snacks during the day. Scholarships are available. Please register by sending a check for $50.00 made out to St. John’s Episcopal Church – please write “Anti-racism training” on the check. Mail checks to Mary Erickson, St. John’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 1690, Jackson, WY 83001. If you have any questions, please call or email Mary Erickson – mary@sjecjh.org, 307-733-2603 ext. 112. All checks should be received no later than April 13.

This training is a collaboration between the Province VI Anti-Racism Network and the Advocacy Center at The Episcopal Church Center in New York. It reflects the combined goals of strengthening the leadership role of the Episcopal Church and its members in efforts to end racism in the U.S. It aims to fulfill commitments affirmed by General Conventions of the Church, beginning in 1991, and in Pastoral Letters from the House of Bishops in 1994 and 2006; but the workshop is open to all who wish to experience anti-racism training.

The current training addresses social conditions and perspectives in 2009, using printed and video resources, as well as reviewing the weight of history still confronting us. Most importantly, the analysis is framed in dialogue among participants, and a process is offered to empower them to plan concrete follow-up initiatives.

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By Ms. Connie Moody. Email: thomap@tritel.net

Our rapidly changing economic circumstances, together with worldwide climatic changes have heightened our awareness of how each individual must take a part in changing life styles in order to affect critical change and to live a sustainable lifestyle. These three programs are designed to make available education opportunities which will provide knowledge necessary to enable our communities to make the changes in daily lifestyle which makes that lifestyle truly sustainable in today’s world.

The first session will focus on home gardening techniques which will enable a person with no available land space at all to produce significant healthy produce year around. Sustainability! The second session will be designed to focus on gardening methods which will convert some portion of a traditional lawn into production of a garden. The third and final session for this year’s series will be addressing landscape techniques and design elements which complement our environment while adding spaces for personal reflection, etc.

April 11, 2009 “New Ways to Feed the World” (How to grow your own food, easier, faster, producing more food in less space.) Presented by Wayne Burleson, cost $15.

Program outline: 2 to 3 hours hands-on presentation.

THE REAL SECRET! - It’s all in the soil.
1. How to really make good soil
2. Compost made easy

The ALL NEW Square Foot Gardening method
1. Mel’s mix
2. Construction of a Square Foot Garden Box
3. Why the grid

Other methods and ideas
1. Bucket Gardens
2. Winter Gardens (meals on wheels)
3. Keyhole Gardens
4. Wall Gardens
5. SPIN Farming
6. 100% Compost Gardening
7. Community Gardens
8. Stand-up Gardens

Gardening tricks, tips and other nifty ideas
1. Newspaper pots
2. Rock mulching
3. Homemade bug killers

Humanitarian Gardens - An answer to help curb world hunger problems

April 25, 2009 Lee Johnson – Detailed info coming soon! Cost $15.

May 30, 2009 Marcia Tatroe, who presented the seminar “Cutting Edge Gardening in the Intermountain West” at Thomas the Apostle Center in June of 2008, is back this season to again present ideas for designing and creating home landscapes which are in harmony with our unique high desert environment. This year’s program is for any gardener, whether rejuvenating an old yard or starting from scratch. This class will help the gardener to create the dream garden or landscape. We'll look at design basics, planning, garden structures (decks, patios, arbors, fences, walkways and furniture) and how to select and place plants for the best effect; all with an emphasis on creating a personal sanctuary. The session will also deal with some of the unique problems facing gardeners in the West (heat, drought, wind and cold). Marcia will be available for additional questions after lunch. Cost of the program will be $25 including lunch.

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By Ms. Kay Flores. Email: kaydflores@gmail.com

Last weekend I met Sister Claire Joy of the Community of the Holy Spirit at the Quiet Day at St. Mark's in Casper.  As part of our quiet time, we walked the Way of the Cross.  We used text written by Deacon J - Joanna Depue, and art by Sister Claire Joy.  I thought the materials were fabulous - combine non-representational art with "eye witness" reports of the crucifixion - what an experience.  I asked for (and got permission) to use their materials for an online group.  Here are the results. 

Opening Devotions:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTc5NA#utt-ODE5OTc5NA

First Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTc5Ng#utt-ODE5OTc5Ng

Second Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgwMQ#utt-ODE5OTgwMQ

Third Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgwNg#utt-ODE5OTgwNg

Fourth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgxMA#utt-ODE5OTgxMA

Fifth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgxNQ#utt-ODE5OTgxNQ

Sixth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgxNw#utt-ODE5OTgxNw

Seventh Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgxOQ#utt-ODE5OTgxOQ

Eighth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgyMQ#utt-ODE5OTgyMQ

Ninth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgyNQ#utt-ODE5OTgyNQ

Tenth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgyOQ#utt-ODE5OTgyOQ

Eleventh Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgzMA#utt-ODE5OTgzMA

Twelfth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTgzMg#utt-ODE5OTgzMg

Thirteenth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTg0NA#utt-ODE5OTg0NA

Fourteenth Station:
http://www.utterli.com/u/utt/u-ODE5OTg0OA#utt-ODE5OTg0OA

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By Rev Doug Wasinger.

Email: doug@wyomingdiocese.org

Hello folks of Carbon County and beyond, how is the season of Lent treating you? It feels like an in-between winter and spring. The calves are not quite ready to drop, basketball tournament time is gearing up (aka March Madness), the snow comes and goes, and the wind continues to blow around. Talking about blowing around lets take a quick look around the county; St. James continues to be a stable force in the midst of change (weddings and arrivals of old friends); St. Luke is plugging along; St. Paul has competed their discernment and I will get to that latter in this letter; St. Thomas continues to work through the season of Lent. I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday I attended a book study at St. Thomas. The gathered group has been working through a book called “The Bible for Today’s Church” from the original Church Teaching Series. As a part of Karen’s formation process a group has been gathering about every two weeks to share their insights of this material. The session covered the entire Bible in a narrative form as another way to tell the stories. For the group they found this approach to be refreshing to see the Bible with a new set of eyes. As the exercise they went through the prayer that is found on pg 838 (For the Saints and Faithful Departed) of the Book of Common Prayer and looked at how well they identified those who were named. Great bible quiz!

Tuesday I did some correspondence both by e-mail and phone calls; mostly it was an administrative day. Wednesday I was one the weekly web/phone call with other Ministry Developers, we talked about the Wyoming Visitor Weekend (similar to the Northern Michigan’s Visitor Weekend) the successful move of the Diocesan office for the renovation (all mailing addresses and phone numbers will remain the same) a brief report on LifeCycles and general check in. It is amazing that we can cover so much in one hour. Thursday was another day for sermon writing and general correspondence. Friday I was contacting people all over Region IV to both remind them about the Apostolic Meeting on March 28, 2009 in Rawlins and the future of this group.

Sunday I presided at two services. The first service was at St. James in Encampment. Fred was not at the service and so the faithful people of this church carried on without their verger. The kids were most helpful in the collections of the alms and assisting me with the setting of the Table. They have planned a master planning session on March 29, 2009 @ 5pm to look at the church and begin to imagine the future which will include the Mustard Seed Project.

Sunday evening was in at St. Paul’s in Dixon a.k.a. Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) for a couple of things. One, the training for the Eucharistic Visitors or EVs has started. Jill will be leading these classes and helping others be prepared for this ministry. I made the announcement in regards to the outcome of the discernment process. The process that was used for this discernment followed these steps. One, the congregation does a discernment and submits names of people they see who are called to the priesthood. Those names would then be forwarded to the Bishop and Canon for Congregational Development. Once there is an agreement at that level the persons would be contacted directly for a time of personal discernment. It is when all three parties are in agreement then the names would be made public as discerned to enter the process to the priesthood. The purpose of this process is to give everybody freedom to respond to God’s call according to how they hear it. The persons who were discerned felt the call to continue with their ministries at St Paul and did not enter the process for Holy Orders. This is not an uncommon event; however I was told that the process was good because it provided the space for open and honest discernment without undue pressure to say yes or no. What happens next? St. Paul will continue to live into their identified ministries of the church and call again in a year’s time.

The remainder of the week looks like this: Tuesday I am heading to LSRV (St. Paul’s in Dixon) to make my presentation of my trip to Israel. This will include a dinner starting at 5:15pm and the presentation will start at 6pm. Wednesday is an all day web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. Thursday is an administrative day and Friday evening I will be attending the vestry meeting at St. Thomas. Saturday St. Thomas will have a Ministry Support Team (MST) meeting @ 9am. Sunday I will be at St. Luke’s in Medicine Bow at 10:30am. I am looking forward to catching up those folks and reloading my picture album!

Shalom my friends, shalom –

Doug

PS if you want check out my blog -- http://holypilgrimage2009.blogspot.com/ to get further explanations of the pictures.
 

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