Four Ordinations at Convention Eucharist

By The Rev. Canon Liz Beasley

"God wiling and the people consenting," as a traditional saying goes, Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick will ordain four people as Deacons at the Convention Eucharist on Friday evening, October 28, at 6:30 p.m.

One person, Peter Wu, will be ordained as a vocational Deacon.  Wu has been sponsored for ordination by St. Peter's, Honolulu.  He is currently serving an internship at the Church of the Epiphany, Kaimuki, where he will continue after his ordination.

The other three will be ordained as Transitional Deacons, preliminary to their ordination to the Priesthood (which must be at least six months later).  The ordinands and their sponsoring churches are Malcolm Chun, the Cathedral of St. Andrew; Amy Crowe (formerly Hill), St. Michael's, Lihue, although she is now working as the Chaplain at Maui Memorial Hospital; and Corey Thornton, St. Nicholas.

There will not be a reception after the Eucharist, because the rooms at the Cathedral will be set up for the Annual Meeting of the Convention the next day.  However, there will be a reception prior to the Eucharist. If you are planning to attend the Eucharist, but are not registered for Disciple's Journey (DJ'11), which is taking place during the day on Friday, please RSVP for the reception here .      

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Internet Evangelism Task Force establishes new internet/website offering for the Diocese of Hawai'i

Your input is valuable - Please take the survey!

For the past two years, the Internet Evangelism Task Force (IETF), which was established as a result of a 2009 Convention resolution, has been hard at work investigating a number of options for website development and hosting for churches in the Diocese. As a result, the task force initiated a pilot project involving twelve churches through a company called Digital Faith, whose clients include a number of dioceses around the country.  With the first phase completed, IETF is ready to roll out the program to the rest of the Diocese, that would also include a new Diocesan website.  What would this mean?  Churches hooking up through Digital Faith and the new Diocesan website would share many interactive features, links, and best of all, a free website, covered by the Diocese.  

Members of the Diocese are invited to provide feedback on the current Diocesan website, that will aid the design committee in the creation of the new website.  Click HERE to participate in a brief survey, in which you can help us determine what you need most out of the Diocesan webste, what's working, and what you will find most helpful.

The survey is live and will be open until Thursday, October 20.  The survey is short, simple and quick, but it is very important.  Your responses will help us determine how best to provide online information for the Episcopal Church in Hawai'i.

If you have any problems accessing the site, or have any questions, please email The Rev. Michael Barham.

All members of The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i are encouraged to respond, with a special request for members of the Standing Committee, Diocesan Council, commissions, task forces, church wardens, treasurers, administrators, clergy, and the staff in the Bishop's Office, to take part.  To learn more about IETF's work, visit the task force site here.

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Missionary Janine LeGrand back in Hawai'i

Missionary, Janine LeGrand, is back in the islands on homestay from October 4 through December 5, 2011. Although Calvary Episcopal Church in Kaneohe was her home church, many folks in the diocese are familiar with LeGrand, having sponsored her and also being an "ECW Special" recipient. She left Hawai'i in April of 2008, where she has been serving as a health-education missionary to the Uganda Diocese of Masindi-Kitara for the past 3-1/2 years.  Laura Fink, member of Calvary Church shared, "The Lord has done mighty work in Uganda through her, to include a brand-new outpatient clinic in Masindi-Kitara." Pictured here is LeGrand teaching a class on sanitation in Uganda.  

LeGrand is looking forward to talking about her work and giving presentations to churches and groups while she is back in Hawai'i.  If your congregation or organization is interested in arranging a presentation with LeGrand, please contact her.  She can be reached at (808) 366-8193, or email her.

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Important Reminders in Preparation for DJ'11 & the Annual Meeting of Convention

As the date draws nearer to two important diocesan events, Disciple's Journey 2011 (DJ'11) on Friday, October 28, and the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Convention, on Saturday, October 29, it is hoped that all participants and delegates are preparing themselves in body, mind and spirit. 

RESOLUTIONS POSTED ON DIOCESAN WEBSITE

Fifteen resolutions to the Annual Meeting of Convention are now available for viewing on the diocesan website.  Click HERE to go directly to the webpage where the resolutions are listed and can be reviewed.  

HAVE YOU RECEIVED A COPY OF THIS BOOK?

Both events take the theme Born of Water, Born of Spirit, from the book by the same name. Co-author, Fredrica Harris Thompsett, will be the keynote speaker at DJ'11, and the book will be used as a basis for learning and conversation in the workshops and small group discussions taking place.  In Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick's letter announcing the meeting, he shared his hopes "that all clergy and lay delegates will read Born of Water, Born of Spirit: Supporting the Ministry of the Baptized in Small Congregations."  Copies of the book have been distributed to the congregations, so please check with your clergy or parish administrator.    

CONVENTION DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION AVAILABLE

If you haven't already done so, delegates should visit the diocesan website here to review the documents and forms for the meeting.  There is also a link to the 2012 - 2014 Budget page, and information on shared travel.       

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What's Happening in The Episcopal Church? 

Announcements from around The Episcopal Church...

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The following contains opening and closing excerpts from Bishop Schori's extensive letter issued on October 3, 2011, and can be read in its entirety by clicking here.

Presiding Bishop issues Pastoral letter on Israeli-Palestinian Peace

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

The events of recent weeks have drawn the minds of many around the world once again to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  New violence and hostility directed against the State of Israel from other neighbor states in the region, the continued expansion os Israeli settlements into the Palestinian territories, and the United Nations' expected consideration of the matter of Palestinian statehood all are reflections of the untenable nature of the present reality.  While optimism for meaningful and constructive negotiation between the two parties dimmed over the past year, the events of recent weeks -- and the new opportunities they may present -- invite us to reflect prayerfully on what each might do to bring new hope to those who live, move, and have their being within the daily reality of this conflict in the land called holy by all the children of Abraham.

The question for each of us, then, is what we can do to contribute to the creation of peace in the Holy Land.  How, in this case, do we live into our baptismal covenant to strive for justice and peace and promote the dignity of every human being?

We will ultimately need to address how to advocate with our own political leaders. But first I want to emphasize the particular responsibility we have as Christians to stand in solidarity with the Christian communities of the Holy Land who suffer the pains of the conflict and consistently act as agents of peacemaking.  Bishop Suheil Dawani, the Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem, at a recent conference in London on Holy Land Christians, put it this way, "As Christians, we are called to be peacemakers, to continue to provide hope where it is dim, to be voices of the voiceless, and to be advocates for a just and durable peace.  We must work together with people of other faiths to encourage the politicians to put politics aside and meet midway, where all people are equal; the marginalized and the powerful, the poor and the wealthy, men and women, children and the ederly, regardless of faith or social status."

Finally, and most fundamentally, I urge all Episcopalians to pray regularly for all of the people of the Holy Land, for peace between the children of Abraham, and for a shared future that reflects the Psalmist's vision of Jerusalem as "a city at unity with itself," having peace within its walls and quiet in its citadels. (Psalm 122)

People of faith are called to be people of hope, even when it seems darkest.  Join me in hoping beyond hope for a fruitful resolution to this crisis.  Let our motivation arise from Isaiah's vision of crying aloud to Jerusalem that her warfare truly is ended.  I remain

Your servant in Christ,

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop and Primate

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The following are excerpts from The Episcopal Church House of Bishops, meeting in Province IX, in Quito, Ecuador.  To read the Pastoral Teaching in its entirety, click here.

A Pastoral Teaching from the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church

Quito, Ecuador, September 2011

We, your bishops, believe these words of Jeremiah describe these times and call us to repentance as we face the unfolding environmental crisis of the earth:

How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither?  For the wickedness of those who live in it the animals and the birds are swept away, and because people said, "He is blind to our ways." (Jeremiah 12:4)

The mounting urgency of our environmental crisis challenges us at this time to confess "our self-indulgent appetites and ways," "our waste and pollution of God's creation," and "our lack of concern for those who come after us" (Ash Wednesday Liturgy, Book of Common Prayer, p. 268).  It also challenges us to amend our lives and to work for environmental justice and for more environmentally sustainable practices.

Christians cannot be indifferent to global warming, pollution, natural resource depletion, species extinctions, and habitat desctruction, all of which threaten life on our planet.  Because so many of these threats are driven by greed, we must also actively seek to create more compassionate and sustainable economies that support the well-being of all God's creation.

We are especially called to pay heed to the suffering of the earth.  The Anglican Communion Environmental Network calls to mind the dire consquences our environment faces:  "We know that . . . we are now demanding more than [the earth] is able to provide.  Science confirms what we already know: our human footprint is changing the face of the earth and because we come from the earth, it is changing us too.  We are engaged in the process of destroying our very being.  If we cannot live in harmony with the earth, we will not live in harmony with one another."

This is the appointed time for all God's children to work for the common goal of renewing the earth as a hospitable abode for the flourishing of all life.  We are called to speak and act on behalf of God's good creation.

May God give us the grace to heed the warning of Jeremiah and to accept the gracious invitation of the incarnate Word to live, in, with, and through him, a life of grace for the whole world, that thereby all the earth may be restored and humanity filled with hope.  Rejoicing in your works, O Lord, send us forth with your Spirit to renew the face of the earth, that the world may once again be filled with your good things: the trees watered abundantly, springs rushing between the hills in verdant valleys, all the earth made fruitful, your manifold creatures, birds, beasts, and humans, all quenching their thirst and receiving their nourishment from you once again in due season (Psalm 104).

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The following is taken from the October 2011 IN-formation Newsletter, a Christian Formation newsletter sponsored by Church Publishing, and the September 30, 2011 release from the Episcopal Church.

For native peoples, Columbus Day is not a day to celebrate.  His "discovery" has taken on mythical proportions in most of the Western world, with few people aware that this act of "possession" was based on a religious doctrine known in history as the Doctrine of Discovery. The Episcopal Church (and other denominations) have called for the repudiation of this declaration as it is fundamentally opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

Focusing on the theme of Healing and Reconciliation, the Episcopal Church has prepared resources for congregations and individuals to understand the importance of the repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.

The resources, named Exposing the Doctrine of Discovery: A Call to Healing and Hope, include a leader guide with discussion and questions, lesson plans, bulletin inserts and sermons and have been prepared for use beginning on Columbus Day.  These resources are available here.

The items for Columbus Day are the first in a series of informational resources leading up to General Convention 2012.  Advent and Lenten reflections are also planned. To read more about this topic and the Presiding Bishop's statement on the Doctrine of Discovery, click on the September 30, 2011 release link at the top of this article.

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Episcopal Church conference focuses on small churches: New Chapter: Your Church in God's Unfolding Story

Registration is open for New Chapter: Your Church in God's Unfolding Story, an Episcopal Church conference specifically for small churches, slated for December 1 - 3, 2011, in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Part of the popular Start Up! Start Over! Conference series for small churches, New Chapter features keynote speakers, workshop sessions, and ample opportunities to share experiences while learning from others.

"The New Chapter Conference is a new offering from the Episcopal Church, and is focused on ways to help congregations express excitement and vitality rooted in the story of faith," explained the Rev. Dr. Bob Honeychurch, Episcopal Church Missioner for Congregational Vitality.  "This New Chapter Conference is designed for leadership teams from small churches.  It draws on the expertise of leaders with years of experience in congregational development.  This compact conference offers encouragement, new ideas, and hope to those committed to the future of vibrant ministries within small congregations."

Registration deadline is October 30.  For more information, email Rev. Honeychurch or read the release on The Episcopal Church website here.  To register, click here.

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Rebuild Our Church in Haiti announces new and updated resources

Rebuild Our Church in Haiti has new and updated resources available on-line for congregations and dioceses launching their fall appeal to help rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port au Prince. In addition to the practical tools, news, and progress reports already available, there are newly updated communication materials as well as seasonally relevant materials.  Included is an Advent Devotional, a Gift Card that goes toward buying a brick for the new cathedral, sample fundraiser ideas, and an updated FAQ.  For more information, visit www.episcopalchurch.org/haitiappeal or email Terri Mathes.

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In case you missed it, shown below are news highlights and important announcements from the last issue of the E-Chronicle.   

Bishop's Message

Be sure to read the Bishop's message on Stewardship.  Click here to view the August 2011 E-Chronicle with his message in its entirety.   

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EYE 2011: Come Together

On June 21, 2011, twenty-four young people and six adult chaperones from the Diocese of Hawai'i, headed to Minnesota to attend the triannual Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) and three days of mission.   

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Advocacy for Israel and Palestine

Read about Christian Evangelista's experience at the Churches for Middle East Peace 2011 Advocacy Conference held in Washington, D.C.  Evangelista attended this conference with a delegation of young adults from the Episcopal Leadership Institute for Young Adults (ELIYA).   

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IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Did you miss an edition of the E-News?  Listed below are the titles of some recently published announcements to be aware of. To see the complete article, visit Previous E-News Editions on the diocesan website,and click on the desired issue.

9/16/2011:

Bishop Robert Fitzpatrick in Ecuador

Preparing for DJ11 & Convention

Cohort U Welcomes U!

New Episcopal Church Welcome Signs & Graphic Guidelines

Tuition Subsidies... Green Faith partnership

8/31/2011:

2012 - 2013 Diocesan Budget Update 

Six-week Reflections on Stewardship: "Feasting on Gratitude"

8/16/2011:

Applications for Episcopal Church educational scholarships

Deadline is October 15

8/1/2011:

Establishing New Communities of Faith

A message from Bishop Robert L. Fitzpatrick

Information & forms for the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Convention available online

Jubilee Ministry Grant Applications Now Being Accepted 

Deadline for 2012 grants is December 30, 2011.

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