newSpin 100325
March 25, 2010
In-Formation in Bethlehem ... The March 2010 faith formation newsletter of the Diocese of Bethlehem, by Canon Anne Kitch. Find it here.
What's Happening? ... Diocesan Events. Including, during April and May, Province III Youth Event, Christophany, Diocesan Training Day Creating a Culture of Peace, Dive-in A Day Exploring Baptism, Diocesan ECW Annual Meeting. (One correction: the June 29 Ordination will take place in Wilkes-Barre, at St. Stephen's Pro-Cathedral.)
Diocesan Life, April ... Download it here.
At Grace Kingston on Palm Sunday ... Re-enacting Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem, parishioners and friends of Grace Episcopal Church, Kingston will gather for a grand Procession of the Palms around the parish neighborhood at 9:00 a.m. on Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010. Leading the procession will be Henry, a 15 year-old therapy donkey depicting how Christ entered Jerusalem. More here.
Supersizing the Last Supper ... [By Sharon Begley - Newsweek] Over the last 1,000 years, the portions and plates depicted in 52 paintings of the last meal Jesus ate with his Apostles have grown bigger and bigger, finds a study to be published in the April issue of The International Journal of Obesity. Read More. [H/T to Deacon George Loeffler]
Chrism Mass Sermon ... At the Cathedral. Delivered by Bill Lewellis. Find it here.
Papal Resources for Reporters ... Pope Benedict XVI is coming under increasing scrutiny and intense criticism as revelations of sexual abuse by clergy emerge across Europe. A few of the cases are connected to his own tenure as Archbishop of Munich (1977-1982) while others concern his long career as top doctrinal official at the Vatican. Where will this lead? More here.
Pray for young men and women who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for their families … Steven J. Bishop, 29; Richard J. Jordan, 29; Robert L. Gilbert II, 28; Adam Brown, 36: Robert M. Rieckhoff, 26... 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.
If Jesus were on Facebook ... Don't miss the .pdf of what Jesus' Facebook wall would look like.
Heaven ... What (where or why) is it? Read it at the Washington Post On Faith blog.
Christian Science Church Seeks Truce With Modern Medicine ... [By Paul Vitello - New York Times] Faced with dwindling membership and blows to their church's reputation caused by its intransigence concerning medical treatment, even for children with grave illnesses, Christian Science leaders have recently found a new tolerance for medical care. More here.
As opening day approaches ... Via Bill Moyers, NYU president John Sexton's Baseball as a Road to God: A Reading List. This reading list serves as the syllabus for a seminar he leads by that name. [H/T to Helen Mosher reporting at Episcopal Cafe]
Denying its most precious gift ... [From a Letter to the Editor, NYTimes] As an evangelical Christian, I once held the attitude that heterosexuality was the only sexual orientation sanctioned by God. But I have since met hundreds of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people of all faiths who in their hearts and minds find great joy and peace in their spirituality. Their spiritual experience is as real as mine — and perhaps more profound considering how some people work so hard to turn them away. For the church as a community to deny any person the spiritual experience that the church professes is the most precious gift is its greatest moral failure of our day. More here.Grace Montessori student stars in Annie Junior ... August Fegley, daughter of Mike and Merce Fegley, members of Grace Allentown, plays the leading roll in ‘Annie Junior’ at the Civic Theater, Allentown, at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, March 26 and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 27. August is a student in the lower elementary program of Grace Montessori School. This production is based on the original Broadway musical “Annie” but redesigned to feature children in the roles. All your favorite songs are there, including “It’s A Hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow.” Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for children under 12. The Civic Theater is located at 527 N. 19th street. Additional information may be found at www.civictheatre.com or 610-432-8943. [Thanks to Bob House, Grace Allentown parish administrator for this info.]
Applications for Gressle, Leonard Hall and Shannon Fund college scholarships are available for the 2010-2011 school year. The Leonard Hall Scholarship –– Download 10LeonardHall.pdf or Download 10LeonardHall.doc –– is designed for diocesan youth active in youth ministries. The Gressle Scholarship –– Download 10Gressle.pdf or Download 10Gressle.doc –– is for sons of clergy canonically resident in the diocese. The Shannon Fund Scholarship is for daughters of clergy resident in Pennsylvania. Priority is given to clergy families in the Diocese of Bethlehem. Shannon Fund applications may be obtained from Edna Rauco at Trinity Church, Pottsville (570-622-8720) or by email. Deadline for all Shannon Fund applications is April 30. Deadline for Leonard Hall and Gressle Scholarships, awarded in June, is May 15. Checks are mailed in August. If you cannot download the applications, please contact Archdeacon Howard Stringfellow or Ely Valentin for Leonard Hall and Gressle Scholarships at Diocesan House, 610-691-5655, ext. 222 or 1-800-358-5655.
Episcopal News Service Weekly Bulletin Inserts ... [For Palm Sunday] 'Friends in holy places,' ENS Weekly bulletin inserts for Palm Sunday, March 28, describe the work of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and its relationship with the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem as together they serve the minority Christian population in the Holy Land as well as Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. [For Easter Sunday] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori calls on Episcopalians to stretch their spiritual muscles in order to 'insist on resurrection everywhere we turn' in her 2010 Easter message. Inserts available in English and Spanish here.
Bakery ... The best place by far to post news or information about your parish is on the interactive list of the Diocese of Bethlehem (the House of Bread) called the Bakery. In order to post there, however, you have to be joined to the list. Join at the "Get Connected" page at the DioBeth website. Bakery has some 200 addresses. If you post something about your parish on Bakery, however, I will most likely include it also on the twice-weekly newSpin newsletter which goes to some 1,000 addresses. And Kat may pick it up for use in Diocesan Life.
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.For daily news, info and commentary, visit the newSpin blog, the Episcopal Cafe and Episcopal Life Online.
The Diocese of Bethlehem ... DioBethWebsite ... newSpin Blog ... DiobethKids ... Share the Bread ... Bakery (Get Connected) ... Audio ... Photos ... On Twitter ... On Facebook ... On YouTube ...
Episcopal Church Scholarships ... Applications are now being accepted for over 60 scholarships available through The Episcopal Church. Earmarked for education and schooling for Episcopalians, funding for the scholarships is derived from numerous trust funds that have amassed over the years. More info here.
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.
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