SESQUICENTENNIAL:

The Episcopal Church celebrates 150 years in Hawai'i

Beginning in September of this year, The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i will celebrate its Sesquicentennial!  Defined in Merriam-Webster as "a 150th anniversary or its celebration" the Diocese of Hawai'i has a full slate of activities lined up as we honor our history and our hope for the future. 

Plans include celebrations on each island with churches coming together to focus on the history and special ministry of their particular communities.  Committees on each island have been formed and are currently in the planning process.

The main event will coincide with the Annual Meeting of Convention on November 9 - 11, 2012.  It will be centered on the Cathedral Close and will include speakers, a Ministry Fair, the Meeting of Convention, a banquet, and a celebration Eucharist on Sunday morning at the Cathedral of Saint Andrew.  Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will be in attendance to preach at the closing Eucharist, and invitations to former Bishops of Hawai'i and dignitaries from our state, the country and the world are being extended.

The concluding Sesquicentennial event will be a celebration of the Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma "Saint's Day" on or around November 25, 2012, at every church.

DOCUMENTARY VIDEO  Part of this occasion will be the creation of a video documentary of our diocese's history.  It will be shown at the main  celebration, and each church will receive a copy.  Event organizers are seeking content for the video, and would like information, pictures and videos from all congregations, focusing on activities and especially outreach ministries. 

Most importantly, VOLUNTEER!  Putting together an event of this magnitude will require the concerted effort of many volunteers. We are seeking persons to share their God-given talents and gifts, especially those in congregations with musical groups.  Also needed are people to craft, decorate, serve, clean up and much more.

For more information and any questions regarding all things Sesquicentennial, contact the Rev. Carol Arney, Event Support staff in the Office of the Bishop, at 808-536-7776, ext. 310, or e-mail her.

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New Diocesan Website to Launch in June

The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i will soon have a new website up and running.  Scheduled to launch in just a couple of weeks, this project was sparked by the Internet Evangelism Task Force (IETF) nearly 2 years ago.  Led by the Rev. Michael Barham, the IETF was originally formed to help churches expand their reach through website formation and other internet offerings.  Through their work, they established a relationship with Digital Faith, a web management company with a number of Episcopal Dioceses as clients. Several churches were involved in the pilot project utilizing the unique features of Digital Faith to interconnect with other churches involved, and continue with great success.  (See St. Nicholas website here.)

The new features and capabilities of Digital Faith's system led to the creation of the new diocesan website designed by Sybil Nishioka, the Communications contractor for the diocese. With the input and advice from a recent survey in the e-news, and the help of the entire Bishop's staff & IETK members, the website hopes to give visitors a taste of the unique culture and offerings in our diocese, as well as a user-friendly site to find resources and information.  Since there is so much information to be loaded, the complete website will be a work in progress over the next couple of months.  As with any new launch, we expect a period of tweaking and adjusting, so your input will be most welcome! 

Feast of Ascension Choral Services By Karen Sender

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Stay in touch through Facebook!

 The Diocese of Hawai'i has officially "come of age", with a new Facebook site.  Although Bishop Bob Fitzpatrick has been an active member for a while, the diocese has finally come on board!  Be sure to visit regularly where photos and news from around the diocese will be shared.  It is listed as "The Episcopal Diocese of Hawai'i" with the Diocesan Shield.

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What's Happening in The Episcopal Church? 

Announcements from around The Episcopal Church...

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Updated Manual of Business Methods for congregations now available

The Episcopal Church Finance Office has updated major sections and chapters of the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs, available for downloading at no charge HERE. 

"The Manual of Business Methods is an important tool for efficient congregational financial management and oversight," explained N. Kurt Barnes, Episcopal Church Treasurer and  CFO.  "The recent updates, which are indicated by dates at the end of each chapter, include new areas important for congregational operations."

Section topics include Financial Management, Internal Controls, Taxes and the Episcopal Church, Bookkeeping, Clergy Discretionary Funds, Audit Guidelines for Congregations, Risk Management and Insurance, Parochial Reports, and Records Management. For more information, e-mail Kurt Barnes.

Christian Educator's Conference in June 

Christian educators from across the country will gather June 11-15 at Kanuga Conferences Inc. in North Carolina, for a special week of sharing stories of faith. Award-winning children's author Rabbi Sandi Eisenberg Sasso, will be the keynote speaker. Her talks will focus on nurturing the spiritual imagination of children, what to do when life treats us unfairly, midrash as a tool for spiritual reflection and finding the light of the first day of creation.

Kanuga's Christian Formation Conference is the largest event of its kind in the Episcopal Church. This premier gathering includes childcare for ages 4-18, and recreation options for spouses, so the whole family can enjoy a Blue Ridge Mountain getaway. Participants can extend their retreat with an optional networking day on June 10. Affiliated with the Episcopal Church since 1928, Kanuga is a 1,400-acre camp and conference center in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Hendersonville, N.C. Financial aid and discounted rates for commuters are available. For more information, visit the Kanuga website HERE or call 828-692-9136. 

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Upcoming Webinars, Webcasts & Videos

In case you missed it, click on the link to read

the latest issue of the E-Chronicle.  

APRIL 2012 ISSUE

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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, click on the linked issues below, or visit Previous E-News Editions on the diocesan website, and click on the desired issue.

05/01/2012:

God Camp 2012 - Applications now available online

Rev. Tom Buechele serves as Interim at St. Jude's

Continuing Education Policies and Grant Forms

Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation

A message from the Episcopal Church Executive Council

Upcoming Webinars, Webcasts & Videos

04/16/2012:

Message from the Bishop - Preparing for our death

Camp Mokule'ia now affiliated with the Episcopal Service Corps

Cathedral Kahili Project

Members announced for Official Youth Presence at Episcopal Church General Convention

Webinars and Webcasts from The Episcopal Church 

04/02/2012:

St. James' 2nd Annual Brunch & Fashion Show May 19, 2012

The 62nd Sewanee Church Music Conference July 9 - 12, 2012

Vaughan Park 2013 Scholarships

03/15/2012:

Shared Ministries A report by Canon Liz

Beach Mass on the Big Island is a welcome venue

Ohana Care Program provides help and support for caregivers

Sacred Sojourns - Women's Pilgrimages to Holy Lands, May 2013

Episcopal Church General Convention: July 5-12 

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