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]
091006.newSpin.interesting, perhaps useful, news and spin
October 06, 2009
Five priests ordained ... Timothy Scott Albright, John Hartman, James Douglas Moyer, Christina Nord and Wayne Calvin Sherrer were ordained to the priesthood, September 29, at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem. View a video impression of the Ordination Liturgy on YouTube. The video and edit was produced by Kat Lehman. See a group pic and download the sermon given by Father Frank St. Amour, rector of St. Stephen's Whitehall, here. See or download more pics here.
Good Shepherd Scranton senior warden Warren Shotto sent us this magnificent photo story of summer New Hope and sweat equity work on the undercroft at Good Shepherd Scranton as they were setting it up as a clothing exchange.
Diocesan Convention ... The annual convention of the Diocese of Bethlehem will be held at St.
Stephen's Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre, October 9-10. Join
your friends in the
diocesan community for Evensong on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and Eucharist on
Saturday at 8:30 a.m. The last pre-convention meeting, meant fo clergy and delegaes, will be held this evening, October 6, at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, 7:00 to 8:15.
With the onset of flu season, and related concerns about H1N1, you may want to browse through the extensive information about preparing for H1N1 and other potential pandemic influenza outbreaks on the Episcopal Relief & Development’s website. Additionally, Episcopal Relief & Development posted Planning for Pandemic Influenza here. The United States Government offers H1N1 Flu: A Guide for Community and Faith-based Organizations here. Included here is a section, Vulnerable and Hard-to-Reach Populations, as well as links that congregations who may serve a homeless population may find especially useful. See also this story prepared by Episcopal News Service.
Finding Yourself: The Spirituality of Integrity is Bishop Paul's October column for secular newspapers throughout our 14 counties
Bishop Paul's email address, over a year ago, perhaps two years ago, had been [email protected]. It is now [email protected]. If you are still using the old address, your notes have been falling into a cyberspace black hole. You may have wondered why you haven't received a reply. Please discard the old address and use [email protected].
Churches that would like to have seasonal posters customized with their church name may order a set for the 2009-2010 liturgical year here. Two series are being offered: (1) A set based on the paintings of Roger Hutchison, the Canon for Children's Ministries and Director of the Trinity Center for Mission and Ministry, Columbia, SC. (Look here for more about Roger and his paintings.) (2) A set based on the stained glass windows at Church of the Advent in Spartanburg, SC which tell the story of the Church from the coming of Christ to today, with the promise of the future. Printed sets are provided at the actual cost of printing and shipping. One-half of the cost of PDF files is shared with the artists and churches whose works are featured on the posters support their work and ministry. You may subscribe at www.episcopalposters.com. The deadline for ordering a complete set for 2009/10 is Monday, October 26th.
Please bring your knitted items for Christmas-at-Sea to the Convention (or send them with someone who will be attending). Jane Teter will see that the items are sent to the Seamen's Institute following the Convention.
Celebrating All Hallows' Eve ... [From Anne Kitch] Unknown to many, the name “Halloween” has it roots in a Christian feast. It comes from All Hallows' Eve. The word "hallowed" means holy or sacred. So All Hallow’s Eve is the evening before All Saints’ Day, the day we honor all those who led hallowed lives. Just as in our culture we begin our celebration of Christmas on Christmas Eve, so in the 9th century, the celebration of All Saints began the evening before. Halloween was a Christian holiday (holy day) going back to 835, when Pope Gregory the Great moved the celebration for All Saints to November 1. [Read more here.]
Churches seeking security ... Read this report posted on Episcopal Cafe by Andy Gerns.
Why I ... ? Intrigued with Why I am an Episcopalian, St. Gregory's in Boca Raton found a parishioner who did good video and web work and posted their own version, Why I love St. Gregory's. Anyone out there with the specific gifts to do a video/web version of Why I'm a member of St. Swithin's or What I do at St. Swithin's and why, perhaps ending with "Ask me about St. Swithin's" (providing a personal email address)?
Grant Writer (paid position opportunity) ... St. Alban's in Sinking Spring is looking for a professional grant writer to assist the parish with locating and filing grant paperwork for their expanding ministry. If you know anyone who would be interested, please contact Fr. Karl Kern at 610-207-1173.
Misssion Trip to Kajo Keji ... Archdeacon Howard Stringfellow and Mr. Charlie Barebo, development director for the Diocese of Bethlehem and chair of the New Hope Campaign, will make a mission trip to our companion Diocese of Kajo Keji in Southern Sudan, October 20-28.
Five Supreme Court cases to watch this term
The Coen Brothers' Serious Man ... Did you hear the one about the guy who lived in the land of Uz, who was perfect and upright and feared God? His name was Job. In the new movie version, A Serious Man, some details have been changed. He’s called Larry Gopnik and he lives in Minnesota, where he teaches physics at a university. When we first meet Larry, in the spring of 1967, his tenure case is pending, his son’s bar mitzvah is approaching, and, as in the original, a lot of bad stuff is about to happen, for no apparent reason. Read the NYTimes review of the latest movie by the Coen Brothers here.
St. Paul's Montrose search for a rector ... [From St. Paul's weekly e-newsletter] The Search Committee has made an extremely enthusiastic recommendation to the vestry for our next rector. Now we move to the stage of negotiations for the issuance of a formal call. Please pray for the vestry, our candidate and the Diocese during this final step in bringing our new rector to St. Paul's. Although we cannot divulge further information until this final stage is completed and the formal call is issued, the mystery is nearly over and we hope to soon announce the name of the new full-time rector. Get ready for a whirlwind of energy –– amazing things are about to happen at St. Paul's.
Gone electronic ... St. Paul's Montrose has gone electronic with its monthly newsletter. "By going electronic we have cut our postage cost nearly in half. Hard copies will still be available at the back of the church."
Parish websites and newsletters ... Find them here. Let me know, please, if I've gotten any of these wrong ... and if there is a direct link to your newsletter on your website.
Icons in the American Style, an exhibit at the Dadian Gallery at Wesley Theolgical Seminary in Washington DC from October 28 to December 18, will feature the work of iconographers Peter Pearson and Thomas Xenakis. On October 21 at 10:30 there will be a lecture ("Tradition and Innovation in Orthodox Icons") offered by Professor Richard Schnieder, a visiting professor of Orthodox Iconology at Saint Vladimir's Seminary in New York, followed by lunch and a panel discussion with the iconographers. RSVP by 10/23 by calling 202-832-2675 or [email protected]. [Peter Pearson is the rector of Saint Philip's Episcopal Church in New Hope, a priest of the Bethlehem Diocese as well as a well known iconographer, teacher and author.]
Diocesan Life, October may be downloaded here.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will visit the Diocese of Bethlehem Nov. 9-12 ... Find an updated preliminary schedule here.
Man who asked "Is God dead?" dead at 78 ... John T. Elson, whose 1966 cover story for Time magazine --
provocatively titled "Is God Dead?" -- produced record-breaking
newsstand sales with its perceptive analysis of a debate that animated
Sunday churchgoers as well as theologians, died Sept. 7 at his home in
New York City. [H/T to JB Chilton reporting on Episcopal Cafe. Read more here.]
Job opportunity at Sewanee ... The University of the South seeks a seasoned and discerning professional to direct marketing and communication activities for the Shool of Theology. The position is part of a collaborative team of professionals providing a full range of unified communication services to the University that support overarching institutional positioning strategies, including publications, graphic design, video and electronic communiction, and events. More info here.
Consortium for Media Literacy
...
I have long found the resources of this group to be engaging and thought provoking. Find several issues of their newsletter, Connections, here.
Contemplation ... Do you see what I see? [H/T to Episcopal Cafe. See more here.]
Pray for our
young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for
their families … Jordan L. Chrobot, 24; Ross E. Vogel, III, 27; Alex French IV, 31; Christopher D. Shaw, 37; Jack M. Martin III, 26; Russell S. Hercules Jr., 22; Ryan C. Adams, 26; Roberto D. Sanchez, 24; Aaron M. Smith, 25; Brandon A. Owens, 21; Thomas D. Rabjohn, 39; Paul E. Andersen, 49 ... for the fallen heroes
also of our coalition partners ... and for the citizens of Iraq and
Afghanistan who have died, unnamed and unknown to us, and for those who
mourn ... and for an end to this endless war. [Posted on the newSpin blog, usually on Tuesdays, with names found over seven days.]
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