newSpin 100215
February 15, 2010
Diocesan Life, March 2010 may be downloaded here.
Jubilate 2010.Ash Wednesday to Easter 7(C) ... Download it here.
Finding information ... The Diobeth website and newSpin blog work hand in hand. If you can't find the info you seek at the website, please search at the newSpin blog. Thanks.
Fraudulent emails circulating concerning Haiti relief ... Someone purporting to be Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin of Haiti is sending out fraudulent emails in his name, asking for financial donations. Please do not respond with funds unless you are absolutely certain that the sender is who he or she claims to be. At this time, the far safer way to support the people of Haiti is through Episcopal Relief & Development. It is sad that such times of great need often provide opportunities for deceitful persons to attempt to gain. [The Rev. Canon C. K. Robertson, Canon to the Presiding Bishop] Check the Haiti page of The Episcopal Church
for news, updates, resources, videos and important information as well as the Episcopal Relief and Development website.
The talented Gary Jones ... You may not have heard of Lower Saucon Township resident Gary Jones but if you've seen ''The Trip to Bountiful,'' ''The Talented Mr. Ripley'' or ''The Princess Diaries,'' you know his work. The Oscar-nominated costume designer has clothed everyone from Katharine Hepburn and Frank Sinatra to Sandra Bullock and Seth Rogen -- 60 movies over more than three decades. Read Saturday's Morning Call feature on Gary Jones, Hollywood costume designer and member of Grace Allentown.
The Church of England may not allow its clergy to have their civil
partnerships blessed in church but it has voted to allow the
survivors of same-sex partnerships the same pension rights as other
spouses. More here.
Diocesan Training for Ministry ... April 24 at St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. More here. Download the brochure here.
Cassocks and Surplices needed ... St. Mary's in Wind Gap & St. Joseph's in Pen Argyl would appreciate receiving, for their new Morning Prayer worship leaders, cassocks and surplices you are replacing or you no longer use. Sizes range from one 4'11" very slim, one 5'5" average build, one 5'9" very round, and one tall slim. Please email Mother Jane Gaeta, [email protected], or call 610-419-9422.
DOK Lenten Retreat ... The Daughters of the King are sponsoring a Lenten retreat, Feb. 26-28 at St. Francis Retreat House in Easton, led by Archdeacon Howard Stringfellow and open to all the women of the diocese. Cost of $175 ($25 nonprefundable deposit by Feb. 20) includew private room, private bathroom, all meals on Saturday and breakfast on Sunday. Optional pizza/salad dinner on Friday evening, $8.00. There will also be a social on Saturday evening with talents from many of the women that will be there. Registration: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26. Questions: [email protected] or 570-868-3738.
50 years of faithful service ... [From Grace Kingston] A celebration and "roast" for Joanne Herron who recently completed 50 years of faithful service in support of the music program at Grace Kingston will take place on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 6:00 p.m. Joanne has had a profound, positive effect on how Grace has grown and become a vital part of our community. Her rich talent as organist/choirmaster and her majestic mezzo-soprano voice has inspired many over the years and continues to do so. The event will be followed by a reception in the Wallis Room of Grace Church. All who attend will also be treated to a variety of musical presentations, with choirs from all over the Wyoming Valley. There will be surprise presentations as well from friend and fellow musicians who have been deeply influenced by Joanne's faithful service.
Spring 2010 events at Moravian Theological Seminary ... More info here.
Bountiful Blessings ... Area churches will prepare Easter dinners for the needy in Susquehanna County. More here.
Downward Mobility ... [By John A Berntsen] There's a commonplace ministry experience I've found that many of us don't want to talk about. Every day we have to do things we're no good at. Our prospects for improvement are slim, yet we're rightly called on to do them. Say what you want about our spiritual gifts working harmoniously within the context of a suitably matched ministry. I know of very few such matches that are truly made in heaven. At best, the match is always approximate. Not every good preacher is skilled at organization. Not every good pastoral caregiver is eloquent in the pulpit. Not every manager who is good at "minding the store" knows why we do what we do, except that it says so on the organizational flow chart. Our gifts differ, and so too do our liabilities and vulnerabilities. Part of the magical thinking that infects call committees and personnel committees is the expectation that the new hire or new call will include all of the strengths of the previous occupant of the position, plus those that were conspicuously absent. At some point, a reality check sobers everybody up. Then authentic and faithful ministry can begin. [Continue Reading]
Losing faith in politics ... [Elizabeth E. Evans, Episcopal priest, writer] If we have lost faith in our politicians, it's in large part because we have lost faith in our own power to be people of virtue. Do we continue to blame the "other guy?" Or should we hold ourselves accountable? The choice has rarely been more stark. More here.
How Christian were the founders? History is made — or rather, the hue and cry of the present and near past gets lodged into the long-term cultural memory or else is allowed to quietly fade into an inaudible whisper — on the public education battleground between cultural forces. More at Sunday's cover story of the NYTimes Magazine.
Believe Out Loud ... A significant "uncertain middle" of Mainline clergy would show leadership on LGBT issues if they were not afraid of stirring controversy in their congregations. A new campaign launched yesteday aims to jump start this missing conversation and to create space in American Christianity for a true welcoming of LGBT people and their families. More here.Dr. Liz Drum in Haiti ... Charles and Laura Drum's daughter, Dr. Liz Drum, an anesthesiologist with special training in pediatric anesthesiology, has gone to Jacmel in the southern part of Haiti, about 25 miles south of Port-au-Prince to help with relief efforts. Jacmel also sustained considerable damage. Through the Doctors United for Haiti, Liz is working in a make-shift operation room where she attends to a variety of injuries. Their first case was "a four month old who had a wound on his arm. He was pinned under rubble, his mother was killed and his father injured. He will probably have some long term damage to his hand." Read more at her blog. Her parents are members of the Cathedral. Her husband is Marc DiNardo. [H/T to Jenifer Gamber]
Haiti Updates ... • Check the Haiti page of The Episcopal Church for news, updates, resources, videos and important information. • Episcopal Relief & Development has info on Haiti as well as ways to donate here. • Episcopal Relief & Development has disbursed emergency funding to the Diocese of Haiti to help meet critical needs such as food, water and shelter for those affected. Donations can be made to Episcopal Relief & Development online or by calling 800-334-7626 ext 5129. ERD has a four star rating on Charity Navigator and meets all 20 standards of the Better Business Bureau. Some 92% to 96% of each dollar given to ERD goes directly to the program be it for disaster relief or for development.
Lenten Resources ..are available at our diocesan website. Centering on the theme “Things done and left undone,” Lenten prayers, video reflections and penitential meditations have also been assembled by the program staff of The Episcopal Church for use throughout the 40 day Lenten season. Designed for personal reflections as well as community services, these Lenten resources are available on a web special Resources page. [H/T to Anne Kitch]
In-Formation in Bethlehem ... Canon Anne Kitch's February newsletter is available here.
Video highlights from the 2010 Trinity Institute conference, Building an Ethical Economy: Theology and the Marketplace, are accessible here.Building an Ethical Economy: Spirituality and Practice ... A live webcast and chat with Mike Schut, author/editor of Money and Faith: The Search for Enough and Simpler Living, Compassionate Life: A Christian Perspective. Thursday, Feb. 18, 1:00 p.m. ET. More here.
For daily news, information and commentary, visit Episcopal Life Online , Episcopal Cafe and the Diocese of Bethlehem's newSpin blog. I recently gave Canon Andrew Gerns access to the newSpin blog, with permission to post at will as a guest author. It will soon become, I suspect, a much more lively venue for information and commentary. Follow the newSpin blog also on Twitter.Plan Ahead ... Feb. 17: Ash Wednesday ••• Feb. 19: Organ Recital at Trinity Easton, 7:30 p.m. More info here. ••• Feb. 26-28: DOK Lenten Retreat, more info above. ••• Feb. 27: Dive In: A Day Exploring Christian Baptism will be held at Good Shepherd Scranton. This day of Christian Formation will offer
resources for parents, Christian educators, clergy, and anyone seeking
a deeper life in Christ. You can come for part or all of the day, but you must register. More info here.
••• March 1-7: Bishop Anthony Poggo of Kajo Keji to visit in the Diocese of Bethlehem. More info to come. ••• March 14: ERD Sunday, Fourth Sunday of Lent. Daylight Saving Time begins. Sunday Eucharist will begin an hour earlier than our body clocks expect. ••• March 19-21: Women of Nativity annual retreat. More here. ••• March 25: Chrism Mass at the Cathedral, Bethlehem, 11:00 a.m.
••• April 4: Easter ••• April 9-11: Province III Youth Delight Event, More info here. ••• April 16-18: Christophany, Watson Homestead, Painted Post, New York. Registration will open February 12 online at www.diobeth.org. More info here. ••• April 24: Diocesan Training for MInistry at St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. More here. Download the brochure here. Online registration opens on February 20.
••• April 30-May 2: Creating a Culture of Peace at the Cathedral Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem.
••• June 12 Diocesan Stewardship Workshop: Share, Save, Spend at St. Stephen's, Whitehall. Geared for families –– parents, kids 9 and up, and even grandparents. Details TBA.
••• July 10: Bishop's Day with Kids at Good Shepherd Scranton.
[If you have a brief announcement about an event you'd like listed in PlanAhead, send it to Bill. Please keep it brief.]
The Diocese of Bethlehem ... DioBethWebsite ... newSpin Blog ... DiobethKids ... Share the Bread ... Bakery (Get Connected) ... Audio ... Photos ... On Twitter ... On Facebook ... On YouTube ...The Episcopal Church ... Website ... NewsLine ... News & Notices ... EpiScope ... InfoLine ... Episcopal Life Online ... FastFacts ... Calendar ... I am Episcopalian ... Weekly Bulletin Inserts ... On Twitter ... On Facebook ... and on YouTube.
Find earlier issues of the newSpin newsletter here.
Comments on newSpin newsletter posts may be made in the Bakery. If you are not joined there, visit the "Get Connected" box at the DioBeth website.
Comments