newSpin 110307
March 07, 2011
The newSpin newsletter, March 7, 2011
By Bill Lewellis
Published Mondays and Thursdays
Must See
• Our Renewal Assembly Video ... Watch it at YouTube, split into two parts, or all in one at Vimeo. The video, with Bishop Paul, Mother Laura Howell and Father John Francis, is 23:30.
Must Read
• Acquire a peaceful spirit ... [Bishop Paul] I don't as a rule acquire anything during Lent, and in fact try to lessen the considerable detritus that occurs when I step into a space. But I am going to work on acquiring something this year. Well, starting to acquire it. Some months ago on a little table at the end of the nave at Trinity Bethlehem I saw a bookmark that describes our life's work so well. It sets a goal that explains why we call it "lifelong Christian formation." It has spiritual, psychological, and social implications, summing up what family systems folk say to boot. It has haunted me ever since the day I saw it. It is simply this word from a slavic monk: Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.
• A Time for Two-Wheelers ... [Bishop Paul, Diocesan LIfe, March] A father was having a terrible time teaching his daughter to ride a two-wheeler. He writes about all the care he took to structure her experience so that learning to ride the bike was safe and pleasant. There was safety, there was structure, and there was a protective presence. As you might guess, she did not learn to ride during those sessions. The father retreated into a reverie, wondering how he could have made the experience better. For the time being, the lessons stopped. A few afternoons later he came home and was astonished to see his child riding her two-wheeler with confidence and enjoyment. His feelings at this sight were many. Fortunately they included curiosity. When questioned, his daughter revealed that she had consulted her friends on how they learned to ride. Her report of their wisdom: “To ride a two-wheeler, the first thing you have to do is fall down a lot of times.” More here, on page 2 of the March Diocesan Life.
• 236 Gather at Renewal Assembly: Prayer, Bible Study, Group Discussion ... [By David Howell] We all have a different idea of what renewal means; for Episcopalians, it centers on renewing our faith and our work. On February 19, at six locations around the diocese, clergy and lay members met for renewal assemblies with the theme “The Call to Prayer and Discernment.” These meetings, part of the work of the newly renamed Committee on Congregational Renewal, featured a video created by Jeffrey Kemmerer of Grace Allentown. Read it all here.
Must Go, on ...
• March 8, to Shrove Tuesday church suppers
• March 9, to Church for Ash Wednesday services
• March 25/26, to workshops on Asset Mapping ... At Moravian Theological Seminary. See below, under Diocese of Bethlehem.
• April 2, to Diocesan Training Day ... At St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. See below, under Diocese of Bethlehem.
• April 14, Chrism Mass ... Cathedral, Bethlehem, 11:00 a.m.
• May 14, to hear Bishop Michael Curry ... At St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. See below, under Diocese of Bethlehem.
• June 11, to Renewal Assembly II ... At many locations. See below, under Diocese of Bethlehem.
Lent begins on Wednesday, March 9
• A Time for Two-Wheelers ... [Bishop Paul, Diocesan LIfe, March] Read above.
• Acquire a peaceful heart ... [Bishop Paul] Read above.
• Three-minute daily retreat ... Find one here.
• Spiritual reading for Lent ... Recommendations from Canon Anne Kitch, including her new book, here.
• Episcopal Relief and Development 2011 Lenten Devotional ... Inspiration to reflect on our own lives and our relationships with a hurting world. Sign up to receive daily Lenten meditations, or Download ERD 2011LentenDevotional
Diocese of Bethlehem
• Harry Layton Hart, 83 ... spouse of the Rev. Eleanor Hart and longtime member of the diocesan communication ministry, died on March 3 after a lengthy illness following an auto accident. Rick Cluett reminded us today that "Harry was also a vital part of the diocesan ministry team in other ways as well. He was elected by the diocese to diocesan council, the standing committee, and multiple times as a General Convention deputy. I know there were diocesan connections I am not remembering. He was, when able, routinely willing to serve wherever asked, to do whatever task needed to be done, with unfailing good cheer, and maybe a wry comment and joke along the way. If there was an overnight stay involved he might be persuaded to bring out his dulcimer to get our feet tapping." Everyone who worked with Harry remembers him as a kind and gentle person. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 12, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1651 Morgantown Road, PO Box 97, Morgantown. Find obituary here.
• Asset Mapping: Strong together, Mobilizing our assets in tough times ... This is an R20 follow-up event to our first Renewal Assembly. At Moravian Theological Seminary ... Friday, March 25: Luther Snow will work with pastors, judicatory staff, and faith-based agency staff. The focus of the full-day workshop will be The Macro View: Building Partnerships. ... Saturday, March 26: The focus will be The Micro View: Strengthening Congregations. This full-day workshop (9:30 AM – 3:30 PM) is for the leadership of local congregations – lay and clergy leadership teams. You must register at the Moravian Theological Seminary site. More at http://www.moravianseminary.edu/conted/Spring11/assetmapping.html. Read Charles Cesaretti's article on Asset Mapping here.
• Diocesan Training Day ... April 2 at St. Stephen's Wilkes-Barre. A day set aside for learning about opportunities and resources for ministry in congregations, and celebrating ministries we share. There will be 13 different workshops spanning many aspects of ministry. Read about the workshops here. Register here. Download the brochure here.
• North Carolina Bishop Michael Curry ... will keynote our 2011 Stewardship and Evangelism Workshop, Saturday, May 14 (9:00 to 3:00). The theme: Jesus loves a growing seed. Bishop Curry is a nationally recognized preacher known for his vivid and exciting spiritual messages packed with hymor and thought-provoking ideas, encouraging listeners to think more fully about their spiritual lives and responsibilities as Christians. Participants will leave with something of value in their minds and hearts. Registration is open at www.diobeth.org (click on Register for Diocesan Events, at right) and will close April 30 or when 300 have registered. Cost per person, $10,00, includes breakfast sacks, beverages and lunch.
• Renewal Assembly II ... Would you believe? With a new introductory video, featuring lay people. Saturday, June 11 (9:00 to 1:00) at six, possibly nine, locations around the Diocese. Focusing on God's blessings: Prayer, Bible Study, Small group discussion.
• Christophany ... [Kim Rowles] Registration is open for the spring retreat for youth of the Diocese of Bethlehem, April 8-10. More here.
• Vertigo: The wonder of walking a straight line ... [From the blog of Jane Williams] As I reached for the ceiling, it would have begun to whirl around, and if I dared to close my eyes, I would have had to grab a chair or the desk to keep my balance. I couldn’t roll over in bed without feeling like the room was spinning. I was baffled by this vertigo that seemed to come and go over the past 2 years, and that was treated repeatedly and unsuccessfully by my docs as an ear infection. But this week, I can walk a straight line, close my eyes without losing my balance, reach for the ceiling, and roll over in bed without symptoms. The problem was tiny crystals in my inner ear that had somehow wedged their way out of where they were supposed to be and were causing havoc by being in the wrong place. A 5 minute procedure called the Epley Maneuver put them back in place (http://www.neuroanatomy.wisc.edu/selflearn/BPPV.htm). As a result of this miraculously simple treatment, I am filled once again with gratitude to God who created our astonishingly complex bodies and gave us the intellect to discover what can restore us to health. Read it all here
• The Presiding Bishop to St. Barnabas Kutztown ... [From the vestry of St. Barnabas Kutztown] A lively discussion during one of our recent Sunday morning worship services carried over into our fellowship hour. The Gospel reading on this particular Sunday was from Matthew 5 and recounts a portion of the Sermon on the Mount that includes the Beatitudes. Our discussion centered on the brutal murder of David Kato, an activist for homosexual rights in Uganda, and the response or lack of response by leaders of the Anglican Church in Uganda. The discussion participants drafted a letter to our Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts Schori, expressing our dismay and urging a strong response from our leadership in the Episcopal Church. We were surprised and heartened to receive a letter in response from the Presiding Bishop. More here.
• Episcopal News Weekly bulletin inserts ... Bulletin inserts for March 13, Lent1: Episcopal Relief and Development. Download inserts here.
• DioBeth Website and newSpin Blog
Spinning (in Bill's head, after too much browsing)
• Imagine you're down to your last $1,000. Would you make it? ... Urban Ministries of Durham NC developed an on-line simulation called SPENT to demonstrate how you would fare if you faced the decisions many working poor face daily. At the beginning of the simulation, you’re unemployed and have only $1,000 left in your bank account. You need to get a low wage job and attend to life’s necessities—food, shelter, childcare, medical fees. The simulation is a reminder of the difficulties encountered by the working poor. Click here or at http://playspent.org/. [Canon Andrew Gerns] More than 70% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The line between "making it" and "getting by" and poverty is very, very fine. The simulation above is important for at least three reasons. For one thing, we continue our national debate about how we as a society deal with the reality of poverty and promote prosperity. The current trend is to orient policy to promote wealth with the hope that it will decrease poverty in the name of reducing taxes. We can debate this till the cows come home, but there is one fact that both sides of the debate can agree on: If the budget passed by the House last week becomes law, community block grants that pay for programs that feed and shelter the homeless and help the working poor stay afloat will all but disappear on July 1 because those block grants will be slashed by 90%. My local congressman is on record as saying that he would, if he had his way, cut all entitlements to everyone. All of this is to say is that for someone who has to live on $1k a month or less, the world is not a very friendly or kind place. Our experience is that many people who would benefit from church ministries and local social agencies is that many people who daily face the kinds of choices described in the simulation, do not seek help. One of the dynamics I notice from people who are unemployed or under-employed is fear and uncertainty as to where to turn combined with the need to appear that everything is "okay." I think the tool is meant by Urban Ministries to communicate that they are not alone. Many people who could support such ministries don't because they are at once in denial that it could happen to them while making judgmental assumptions about those who need and use these services. This tool is just one attempt to break down those assumptions. Bishop Paul has said that one of the hallmarks of the earliest Christians was they cared for people that 1st century society literally threw away: widows and orphans. May that be the hallmark of 21st century Christians: that we care for and take responsibility for one another.
• What would Jesus cut? ... Thanks to Sojourners supporters and partners, a full page ad appeared in Politico last Thursday asking Congress, “What Would Jesus Cut?” The ad challenges our legislators to remember that a budget is a moral document. (See the ad here.)
• Pastor Rob Bell catches hell from conservatives ... [Religion Dispatches] "Hell has frozen over," says Pastor Bell. The enormously popular pastor of the enormous Mars Hill Bible Church has a new book coming out this month called Love Wins in which Bell “puts hell on trial, and his message is decidedly optimistic—eternal life doesn’t start when we die; it starts right now. And ultimately, Love Wins.” This description launched a frenzy of reactions within the evangelical community. More here and here. Rod Gillis, commenting below Nick Knisely's post on Episcopal Café, the second "here," says: When the king arrives he will separate the sheep on his right from the goats on his left. He will say to those on his right "Enter the kingdom prepared for you". To those on his left he will say "break up into small groups and discuss the Anglican covenant." I know, its an old joke, but I couldn't help myself.
• A Time for Lasts... [Alban Institute] "A very sensitive and helpful article on retirement," says Charles Cesaretti. Read it here.
• Pathways to Leadership that Lasts... [Alban Institute] Effective pastoral leaders today will likely draw upon a wealth of leadership theories and tools, but the fundamental focus of their work—their fruit—must be transforming the lives of people, churches, and the world. Fruitful pastoral leaders are not only faithful stewards of the talents they have been given; their leadership will also have lasting impact in the lives of people, congregations, and communities. No one leader provides a universal model for effective ministry, of course. All carry out their diverse ministries in ways congruent with their own personalities, their skills, and the distinctive situations in which they have been called to serve. Fruit is always grown and harvested locally, after all, and the leadership pastors offer and the results of their work are no exception. ... The pattern of pastoral leadership that characterizes excellent pastors always seems to include at least the following seven elements: They feel called to holy purpose. They are dependably authentic. They nurture trusting relationships. They live as generous servants. They have been creatively adaptable. They display disciplined persistence. They practice faithful spirituality. Read it all here.
• Peter Gomes: the Accidental Gay Advocate ... [Huffington Post] The Rev. Peter Gomes died last week. For 42 years he had been a fixture at Harvard. ... Noted for his activism to rebut biblical literalism and fundamentalism -- especially on gay issues -- Gomes' 1996 tome The Good Book: Reading the Bible with Mind and Heart stayed on the best-seller list for years. In refuting the Sodom and Gomorrah narrative (Genesis 19:1-29), one of the most quoted scriptures to argue for compulsory heterosexuality and queer bashing, Gomes wrote, "To suggest that Sodom and Gomorrah is about homosexual sex is an analysis of about as much worth as suggesting that the story of Jonah and the whale is a treatise on fishing." Read it all here.
• On Nonprofit 'Giveaways' ... [Boston Globe Op-Ed, March 4] Keep the cap. A nonprofit should invest in its cause, not on giveaways. Joan Wickersham pens a mock letter to an unnamed nonprofit. "Dear Nonprofit Environmental Group: Thank you so much for the T-shirt," she begins. "When I sent you a contribution of $35, I thought you were going to use it to buy land, thereby helping to protect open space, endangered species, and water," she writes. "But no: According to the receipt you sent, you put almost half of my donation toward the 'fair market value' of the 'Nonprofit Environmental Group Long-sleeved Logo Tee.'" Wickersham argues that the giveaways and perks--the "pounds of stuff"--that many nonprofits use to entice supporters are often counterproductive and hypocritical given their stated intent. Read it here. [H/T The Atlantic Wire]
• Megan Crepeau on Ignoring the Westboro Baptist Church ... [Chicago Tribune Op-Ed, Megan Crepeau] Crepeau congratulates "haters of all kinds" on their big win in the Supreme Court this week, but Crepeau clarifies that the Westboro Baptist Church's victory against the families whose funerals they protest does more than prove how expansive and nondiscriminating First Amendment protection really is. The Court's decision is also a win for those opposed to the Church's demonstrations because, Crepeau explains, it prevents Westboro Baptist from presenting itself as a victim. Concludes Crepeau, "they're small, they're aging, and they thrive on the hate they inspire. The First Amendment lets them wither away in the open air." Read it here. [H/T The Atlantic Wire]
• Dogs that help kids read... [Sheila Glaser, NYTimes 6th Floor] Man’s best friend is now child’s best friend too — and will keep you from having to read the admittedly delightful “Green Eggs and Ham” again and again and again, at a four-year-old’s pace. Taking a page from programs in the U.S. and Canada, a real school in Staffordshire, England, is using real dogs, specially trained greyhounds, to listen patiently while small children read aloud to them. The best part is you can tell your kid that when the dog is sleeping “he’s dreaming about their story.” (From the Guardian, via Boing Boing.)
The Episcopal Church/Anglican Communion
• Half-million dollar matching gift for Haiti rebuilding ... [Episcopal News Service] Christ Church Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Trinity Wall Street in New York have announced a $500,000 joint matching gift to the Episcopal Church's Rebuild Our Church in Haiti appeal. Full story.
• Episcopalians participate in state fiscal-policy debates ... [Episcopal News Service, Mary Frances Schjonberg] In the midst of the nearly three-week-old debate in Wisconsin and elsewhere over the impact of proposed cuts to state-funded social programs and changes in public-employee union bargaining, Episcopalians have been calling for inclusive decision-making and an awareness of the impact of budget cuts on society's most vulnerable. Full story here.
• Anglican Communion News Service Weekly Review ... Feb. 26 to March 4. Here.
• Episcopal Church Website and News Service
The Moravian Church in North America
• Weber Memorial Lecture with Brian Wren ... “Surprise Us By the Words We Sing: New Hymns to Sing and Ponder,” Friday, March 11 on the South Campus of Moravian College, presented by esteemed hymn writer Brian Wren. All are welcome to attend this free event.Registration is available through our website or by calling the Office of Continuing Education at 610-861-1519.
• Asset Mapping ... March 25/26 at Moravian Theological Seminary. See above, under Diocese of Bethlehem.
• Moravian Church in North America website • Moravian Church Northern Province website • Moravian Theological Seminary website
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• ELCA website ... Here. • ELCA News Service ... Here. • NEPA Synod website ... Here. • Synod E-News ... March 4. Sign up to receive the weekly newsletter by email here.
The United Methodist Church
• UMC website ... Here. • UMC News Service ... Here. UMC Communication ... The United Methodist Church has long been a leader in providing useful resources for church communicators. Start here. Eastern PA Conference of the UMC website ... Here. Bishop Peggy Johnson's blog ... Here.
The Roman Catholic Church
• Pope Benedict: Jewish people not guilty for Jesus death ... [BBC] Pope Benedict has rejected the idea of collective Jewish guilt for Jesus Christ's death, in a new book to be published next week. Tackling an issue that has led to centuries of persecution, the Pope argues there is no basis in scripture for the Jewish people to be blamed. The Catholic Church officially repudiated the idea in 1965. But Jewish groups say the Pope's detailed analysis of the gospels is a major step forward. More here. [Bishop Paul] "I think that when a conservative pope speaks this unequivocally on a difficult subject, we can all give thanks."
•Scranton Diocese budget has surplus ... [Wilkes Barre Times-Leader - March 3] For the first time in years the Diocese of Scranton released a financial statement for its administrative budget that has some good news - a small surplus overall, and a dramatic reduction in bad debt. There’s still a lot of red ink splashed across the pages, but if the diocese hasn’t quite turned the corner, at least the corner seems to be in sight. Read it all here.
• Paths to God ... Jesuit priest James Martin, culture editor of America magazine and author of numerous books, says there are as many paths to God as there are individuals. He has written a series on Huffington Post that looks at six of the most well-traveled paths for contemporary believers: Belief, Independence, Disbelief, Return, Spiritual Exploration, and Confusion.
• Vatican Information Service blog ... Here. • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops website ... Here. • Diocese of Allentown website ... Here. • Diocese of Scranton website ... Here.
Additional sources of news/info/commentary
• Religion News Service Daily Roundup ... here.
• Diocese of Bethlehem
(1) The DioBeth newSpin blog
(2) The DioBeth website
(3) Twitter.DioBeth
(4) Twitter.Kat Lehman
(5) Public news and info lists: At the Diobeth website, enter your name and email in the "Get Connected" box on the right hand side. You are welcome to subscribe to any or all of these. "Bakery" is our diocesan interactive list.
• Episcopal/Anglican
(1) NewsLine
(2) News & Notices
(3) Infoline
(4) Episcopal News Service
(5) Episcopal Church website
(6) Twitter
(7) Facebook
(8) YouTube
(9) The Lead, Episcopal Cafe
(10) Daily Episcopalian, Episcopal Cafe
(11) AngicansOnline.
(12) AnglicansOnline News Centre.
(13) Anglican Communion website.
(14) Anglican Communion News Service.
• Find earlier issues of the newSpin newsletter here and recent ones in the left column here.
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Send info about newSpin to friends you think may be interested ... newSpin is an electronic newsletter that includes news, information and commentary related to the Diocese of Bethlehem, the Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion and the world of religion ... with some spin, of course, from the editor. It is edited by retired communication minister Bill Lewellis and ordinarily published twice weekly, on Monday and Thursday. The newSpin newsletter is currently received by some 1,200 people, many of whom forward it to many others. To have it emailed directly to you, subscribe at the "Get Connected" box on the right column of www.diobeth.org. Select newSpin under the groups. You may find samples of the newSpin newsletter on the left column of the newSpin blog, www.diobeth.typepad.com.
About the newSpin newsletter ... Composed at least weekly (usually twice a week) by Bill Lewellis, the newSpin newsletter appears as a post within the newSpin blog, but newsletter and blog are not identical. The newsletter comes, of course, with some spin from the editor, but the views expressed, implied or inferred in items or links contained in the newsletter or the blog do not represent the official view of the Diocese of Bethlehem unless expressed by or forwarded from the Bishop or the Archdeacon as an official communication. Comments may be addressed to Bill.
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