supporting congregations
creating disciples
building community
nurturing growth
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Upcoming Events
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October 17
Safeguarding God's Children
October 18
Diocesan Youth Songfest
November 13-15
Senior High Youth Convocation at the Wisconsin Dells!
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Diocesan Convention
November 20-22
Happening!
will be held at St. Andrew's Church in Madison. |
Camp Webb
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We had a fabulous summer at Camp Webb.
Go to the website to see pictures from our wonderful, fun and eventful summer that was Camp Webb 2009!
New Dates and Location for Camp Webb 2010!
We are proud to announce that next year we are having camp at beautiful and centrally located Lutherdale Camp outside of Elkhorn!
We will be using their beautiful and new DeBack Family Lodge to house our campers and our main program space. Look for pictures of this property on the Camp Webb website soon.
June 27-July 2
Staff Training
July 4-9
Week 1
July 11-16
Week 2
July 18-23
Week 3
Stay tuned for more information about next summer!
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Dear Christian Formation Leaders,
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Welcome to the Christian Formation eNews which has resources, events and information in order to assist you in your formation efforts on a parish level.
If you have formation news, events, or resources that you think would be of interest to the Diocese at large and that you would like to see in this electronic publication, please do not hesitate to email me at kelly@diomil.org.
If you want to be removed from this list, you may do so. If you have missed an issue or if you would like to look at old issues, links to the archives can be found on the Christian Formation Pages at www.diomil.org.
Please forward this on to any and all who you think might be interested! |
| Safeguarding God's Children Trainings |
 Please make your calendars and pass on this information to anyone who needs to be trained in Safeguarding God's Children (SGC). Our next Training will be:
- October 17 at St. Mark's in Milwaukee from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
If you would like to schedule a training in your parish or if you have a number of people who need to be trained, please let me know so that we can schedule an event at your church or in your area.
We are working to create a team of trainers so that we can hold events throughout the Diocese all year long.
Are you wondering who needs to be trained? Click here to get that information which can also found in the Diocesan Policy Manual. If you have any questions please let me know.
Update on Safeguarding God's People
This spring a team of people will attend the first Safeguarding God's People training. Once we have some trainers in the Diocese we will begin holding these trainings as well. |
| Diocesan Youth Songfest! |
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The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee and St. Thomas of Canterbury Church
Team up to present the first ever
Diocesan Youth Songfest
Sunday, October 18, 2009
At St. Thomas of Canterbury Church
7255 West Grange Avenue - Greendale
Schedule:
2:00 Workshop
5:45 Pizza Supper ($5.35/person)
7:00 Concert
FAQs
Why should I go to the workshop? When you go to Camp Webb or Happening or New Beginnings or youth group meetings, do you like to "be in the
band" or "hang with the band" or (especially) sing with the band? Do you like to learn new songs and be with others who love to sing, play and make music for worship? Everybody involved in youth ministry should come and be a part of this festive, music-filled day!
What's the plan? Play and sing songs, share dreams and discover possibilities, put together a concert and perform it, eat pizza, share music across the diocese.
A concert? Concerts are fun! Musicians like to show off. Everyone is invited to come and sing along and share the love. A freewill offering will be given to St. Marc's Mission, the Haiti Mission Project of the Diocese.
What should I bring? Bring your voice, your ideas, and your "ax" (guitar, bass, keyboard, fiddle, flute, drums, tambourine, shaker, kazoo, etc.)
What if I've got gear? Set up begins at 1:00. Come in plenty of time to get your stuff in place before the workshop begins at 2:00.
Sounds great! How much? The workshop is free. The pizza is $5.35/person. Freewill donations for the concert gratefully accepted.
Email diomilyc@gmail.com or call Deacon
REGS at 262-827-9378 or send us a
registration form so we order enough pizza for
everybody! | |
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Resources for the Upcoming Seasons
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| Now that we are fully into the Fall Season, here are some resources to use in your parishes as you think forward to the coming months.
General Resources
If you are looking for general resources, a good place to start is in the Resource Room. Created with the congregational Christian educator in mind, here is your source for ideas, materials and resources to assist you in your Christian formation ministries. Sponsored by Morehouse Education Resources, a division of Church Publishing Incorporated, it is maintained by Sharon Ely Pearson, CPI/MER Christian Formation Specialist. Join thousands of churches, synagogues, mosques and temples across the country in this celebration by holding special worship services, education programs, and advocacy activities to engage people of faith in the lives of children and their families. Sponsored by the Children's Defense Fund, the National Observance of Children's Sabbaths Celebration is a way for faith communities to celebrate children as sacred gifts of the Divine, and provides the opportunity for houses of worship to renew and live out their moral responsibility to care, protect and advocate for all children.
Halloween and All Saints' Day
Wondering about the history of Halloween or how to celebrate it other than with costumes and trick-or-treating? Ever wonder where some of our traditions come from that surround these holidays? Check out this resource from Church Publishing that has the history of the day, information about the Halloween Pumpkin, songs, recipes and activites. It even has an intergenerational event for your church that helps explore these holidas and celebrate them in a Christian setting.
Thanksgiving
This resource has a brief history of Thanksgiving and a variety of ways that you, your church, and your family can really engage in the spirit of Thanksgiving, including prayers, a litany and resources to help you reach out in your community.
Advent
Our church year begins in the season of Advent. For ideas on making advent wreaths, a Blue Christmas Service, Lessons and Carols, A Christingle (Christ Light) for Advent, Resources for Celebrating Advent in the Home, and much more, click here to look at this resource from Church Publishing. There is a special section that talks about what children really want during the Christmas Season, Advent Calendars, adult resources and reflections on the season as well as Christmas Pageants!
Christmas Pageants
If you are looking for a new way to do your Christmas Pageant this season, check out these multiple resources.
- O Come Let Us Adore Him
- Godly Play version of a Christmas Pageant can be found in Volumne 3 of the Godly Play Series
- Go Tell it on the Mountain is a book of three different Christmas Pageants by Gretchen Wolff Pritchard. They come complete with music, staging directions, scenery and costume suggestions, as well as pointers about how to organize such an event. The pageants are for grades K-8, but one calls for adults and teens. A CD-ROM is included so that scripts can be edited for local use and printed out for the cast.
- St. Gregory of Nyssa, San Francisco offers a downloadable script for pageants for Year A, B, and Cof the lectionary, following the Gospel of Matthew, Mark and Luke.
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Clergy Leadership Training Opportunity
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Visioning and Planning for clergy and Congergations
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 9:00am-4:00pm
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 8:30am-4:00pm
Intructor: Gilbert Rendle
$250
For information contact:
Ann Whitaker
Call: 262-4509 or 800-442-4617
Fax: 265-4555
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| Diocesan Fall Happening |
November 20-22
at St. Andrew's in Madison
1833 Regent St., Madison, WI 53726-4198 HAPPENING is a weekend retreat run by high school students within the Diocese of Milwaukee with adult support. It is designed BY YOUTH, FOR YOUTH! It challenges youth to find their own spiritual realities based on the love of Jesus Christ.
HAPPENING's purpose is not only to have a fantastic weekend, but to build a foundation for a lifelong commitment to Christian living - a life based upon Christian values, beliefs and actions. HAPPENING is a weekend full of fun and fellowship, but it is also a weekend full of learning, sharing, growing, loving and experiencing the gifts of God. Who can attend HAPPENING? HAPPENING is open to all high school youth who are in ninth through twelfth grades, and to the adults who work with them. You do not need to be an Episcopalian to attend HAPPENING. To dowload the brochure that has all the information about the weekend, click here. For the registration form, click here and scroll down the page to find more information on Happening. If you would like more information about HAPPENING, would like to receive more application forms, or if you have more questions, etc., please contact: Wayne Pike - Lay Director
Mobile phone: 262-672-9901
Jen Gilow-Rivera - Co-Lay Director
Mobile phone: 414-334-0861
Ed Schultz - Co-Lay Director
Home phone: 608-756-3198
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| Urban Immersion Service Retreats |
| This retreat, held in Minnesota, promotes understanding and action on why people are poor and the help that is needed.
The first part of the retreat deals with questions such as how do you pick which is more important to pay for: health care or paying rent? Also, chemical dependency, racism, the economy and other factors are looked at on how they affect poverty.
The second part of the retreat places volunteers in the Twin Cities at homeless shelters, battered women's centers, food shelves and other organizations to help those in need.
Weekend retreats are held throughout the school year, except holiday weekends. the begin Friday at 6:30pm and end Sunday at 9:30am. It is $80 per person.
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| Diocesan Convention Formation Opportunity:
Rooted in Faith, Growing in Love |
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Saturday, November 14 from 9-10 a.m.
at Diocesan Convention in the Wisconsin Dells for an intergenerational formation event that will help you bring your faith life into your home.
Join us as we:
- Explore ways to bring faith into your home
- Create a prayer "station" to help you gather your prayers and thanksgivings
- Have FUN!
This event is intended for ALL ages.
Dress is casual.
Join us for this morning event, then go enjoy the water park!
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Senior High Youth Convo
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Join us for a great weekend in the Wisconsin Dells!
Friday, November 13, 2009 5:00 PM - Sunday, November 15, 2009 3:00 PM
This is the same weekend and the same place as our Diocesan Convention, so it is a great way to get LOTS of people together, to get our Senior High kids involved and connected and to have a ton of FUN!
We will bring together senior high students from all across Wisconsin and from all denominations for a weekend of faith and fellowship centered on the theme:
Imagine a World
Where We
Hear No Evil
See No Evil
Speak No Evil
How can we use what unites us to make a difference in the world around us?
Together we will discover how to become agents of change in our world -- in our schools, churches, and communities.
With music from the Robbie Seay Band, Speaker Chris Lahr, and comedy from the Jersey Guyz.
WHERE
Chula Vista Resort
4031 River Rd
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
FEES
Program Ticket: $50 if registered by Aug. 31st
$60 if registered by October 26th
$75 if after October 26th
In case of cancellations, churches are still responsible for 50% of the registration fee. No refunds after October 26th.
Hotel: $100/room/night
Rooms hold up to 6 people (2 Queens & 1 Queen Sofa Sleeper)
$300/room/night for a 3 Bedroom Condo
Room holds approx. 12 people with full kitchen and living space
Meals: $40 Optional Meal Plan
Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner on Saturday, and Breakfast on Sunday
Register for program tickets and meals at www.wiconvo.org beginning August 1st.
Book accommodations with the Chula Vista directly at: 1-800-388-4782. Mention our room block "Senior High Convo."
Registration available at www.wiconvo.org.
If you or your youth are interested in attending, please contact The Rev. Shannon Kelly at kelly@diomil.org and we will put together a group of attendees to share hotel rooms and travel together if necessary.
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| Lesson Plans for Small Congregations |
| Check out this national curricula!
Lesson Plans for Small Congregations
- Follows the Revised Common Lectionary
- Three lessons for each Sunday (Young Children, Older Children, and Adults)
- Intergenerational lessons for some major feast days
- Plan ahead for the entire year. Use the new drop down menu to access the lessons you need.
You can find them at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/50534_ENG_HTM.htm?menupage=95899.
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Thank you for your ministry, for your commitment to Christian Formation, and for sharing your gifts with the church. Please let me know if there is anything that you would like to see in this eNews in the future and don't forget to pass this along!
Peace,
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The Rev. Shannon Kelly
Bishop's Assistant for Christian Formation
The Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee
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