Meet Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in Bethlehem, Lebanon or Wilkes-Barre ... Plan to come to Evensong (6:00 p.m.) at which Bishop Katharine will preach and, immediately afterwards, to a reception and open forum at which you may dialogue with her ... at the Cathedral Bethlehem on Monday, Nov. 9, at St Luke's Lebanon on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and at St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Read more here.
Epsiscopal Public Policy Network urges health care reform ... Health care costs have been sky rocketing. Many people don't have access to insurance affordable or not. The Episcopal Church has passed resolutions on numerous occasions, most recently at this summer's 76th General Convention, stating that all people should have access to quality affordable health care. The time for action is now, and as a strong first step towards comprehensive health care reform, we [EPPN] are asking congress to pass the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009. Read more here.
Duruflé Requiem in Bethlehem ... The Duruflé Requiem, Op. 9, will be performed by the combined choirs of the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, and St. Stephen's Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre, in a concert setting, at the Bethlehem Cathedral today, Sunday, November 8, at 4 p.m. The combined choirs will be conducted by Canon Mark Laubach and accompanied by Canon Russell Jackson at the organ.
Got questions about the Episcopal Church? Try InfoLine. Don't miss the FAQ.
New book by Father Malloy ... Church Publishing says that Celebrating the Pastoral Rites and the Daily Office: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Minister will be available by May 2010. Read more here.
Bethlehem/Kajo Keji Companion Relationship ... To see a beautifully-designed poster with text and photos based on info and photos we have published online and in Diocesan Life, click here, then on "Diocese of Bethlehem" in the left column. Thanks to whoever put this together. With the addition of two substantial gifts, our New Hope Campaign has surpassed the $4 million mark. Check out Good Shepherd Scranton's project to provide emergency homeless shelter. Charlie Barebo and Howard Stringfellow recently returned from Kajo Keji. Terrific pics soon. Check at the DioBeth website and the newSpin blog.
Become a baker in the House of Bread ...
If you are interested in more news, issues, ideas, opinion and
conversation related to our diocesan community, the Episcopal Church
and the Anglican Communion, you might consider becoming a baker in the
House of Bread's new Bakery. Go to the "Get Connected" box on the right
side of our diocesan website.
Fill in your name and email address, and click on "My Groups." In the
next window that comes up, check Bakery. Bakery, of course, is a play
on Bethlehem meaning "House of Bread" in Hebrew. Subscribed to Bakery,
you will receive several notes daily (perhaps two, perhaps ten when the
oven is hot) and you will be able to enter the conversation by posting
your own notes to the group, i.e., to the other bakers. News is fresh
in the Bakery long before you see it in print in Diocesan Life. If you
choose to do so, thank you for becoming a baker in the House of Bread.
Feeling grumpy? It may be good for you. Want to think clearly? Be grumpy. While cheerfulness fosters creativity, research suggests that gloominess breeds attentiveness and careful thinking. Read more here. [H/T to Bishop Paul]
Diocesan Youth Scholarships – How you can help ... [From Kimberly Rowles, diocesan youth missioner] In the current economic situation, the youth of the diocese are depending more on scholarship funds to attend events than in the past. Our scholarship funds has been depleted. Please read more here.
Telephone solicitations for nonprofits ... According to a Page One story in today's Morning Call,
for every dollar people give via telephone solicitations to support
nonprofits, up to 87 cents might go into the cost of asking for those
donations. Of the 2,716 campaigns using professional fundraisers reported to the
state of Pennsylvania since 2002, fundraiser costs exceeded the amount left for the
nonprofit nearly three-quarters of the time. It also is a warning sign that as the unofficial holiday giving season
begins this month, donors need to ask questions and do their homework
if they want their charitable giving to provide the most benefit. Read more here. Also see this database and these tips on charitable giving.
Traditional and fine art photos taken within Allentown by aspiring local artists, a project
sponsored by Dan’s Camera, Allentown Brew Works, The Morning Call, and
Nikon Cameras, will benefit Allentown and Grace Montessori School. GMS
was selected by a group of local businesses and Mike Woodland, co-owner
of Dan’s Camera City in Allentown, to receive a special donation from this
project designed to promote Allentown. Throughout the summer and fall, Dan’s Camera City has been offering four six-week photo journaling classes for which the primary subject has been the City of Allentown. Approximately 45 students took photographs and met with their instructor to create photographic stories of Allentown while improving their camera skills. Dan's Camera City has been described in the NYTimes as "one of he most innovative camera stores in the country." On November 19 (6:00 to 7:30 p.m., at Grace Episcopal Church, Fifth & Linden, Allentown, light refreshments) there will be a showing of many of the works of these photographers. Products featuring the photos of Allentown donated by the students, including some of Grace Montessori School, have been created by Dan’s Camera City and will be offered for sale in the community. The products include a hard cover book, a 2010 calendar, note cards and framed photos. Nikon is donating five SLR cameras to Grace Montessori School. For more information, email Mike Woodland.
Fight the flu with facts ... See the comprehensive flu.gov website.
30 Good Minutes is a rich resource for free adult forum video clips that can be used as discussion starters (if you have wireless in you church, a laptop and a projection screen) and for personal reflection. Folks who are more adept than I on these matters tell me that if you have RealPlayer, which can be downloaded free (in the PC world, probably also for Mac), you can download this to your hard-drive. From there, if you need to, you can burn it, i.e., save it to a CD-Rom also using RealPlayer, thereby eliminating the need for wireless.
12 Days of Christmas for Kajo Keji ... Our Wold Mission Committee is again sponsoring the 12 Days of Christmas for Kajo Keji. Here's a bulletin insert. Your support was so critical last year. Instead of giving Aunt Mildred a sweater she doesn't want, why not give a gift in her honor to those really in need? Items range in price from $5 to $250. Deadline is December 15. Call Jo Trepagnier, 610-434-0155, if you have any questions. Similar info appears on the back cover of the November issue of Diocesan Life.
Caring caps from Trinity Pottsville go to cancer patients across four counties. Read more here.
Religions and LGBT youth: A lost generation? The new hate-crimes law extending federal protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people was seen as a crucial victory for the gay rights movement. But few believe the law will end anti-gay attacks and discrimination — especially when it comes to young people, who remain the most vulnerable LGBT population, as statistics show. Read more here.
UTO grant applications for 2010 are due in the Bishop's office by December 31, 2009. The application form and guidelines are available from Canon Jane Teter. Contact her if you are interested in submitting a grant.
Earlier issues of the newSpin newsletter may be found at the newSpin blog. Search the left column.
The Episcopal Church ... News & Notices ... EpiScope ... Episcopal Life Online ... Weekly Bulletin Inserts ... On Twitter ... On Facebook ... and on YouTube.
Bill Lewellis, Communication Minister/Editor (1986), Canon Theologian (1998)
Diocese of Bethlehem, 333 Wyandotte Street, Bethlehem, PA 18015
Website, Blog, Email (c)610-216-2726, (w)610-691-5655x229, (h)610-820-7673
Be attentive. Be intelligent. Be reasonable. Be responsible.
Be in Love. And, if necessary, change. [Bernard Lonergan]
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