Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
Contents
Bishop's Schedule
Nominations for Presentation at 2011 Convention
Presiding Bishop Coming to Tulsa
Character Council of Edmond
St. Christopher's Health Fair
Daughters of the King Meeting and Retreat
Bridges Out of Poverty
Healing Communities Workshop
St. Mary's School
Connecting to Youth
Unique Bible Survey
On Giving to the Church
Watonga Honor Dance 2011
9/11 Service at UCO
Journey to the Holy Land
St. Francis Day Resources
New Resources
Curriculum to Share
Casady School Open Houses
Canterbury Faire
Fall Gathering for Retired Clergy/Spouses
Convention Notes
Mark the Date
Additional Safeguarding God's Children Training
Women's Retreat
2nd Half of Life
Closing Prayer
                            

Companion Diocese Uruguay


Uruguay

     two bishops

 

 

Holy God, source of healing and of peace, bless with your grace the companion dioceses of  Oklahoma and Uruguay. Through our partnership one with another may we grow in mutual affection and communion, seek a more profound experience of truth, build up the Church in unity and give glory to Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

 

 

New Web site:

 

 http://uruguay.anglican.org/

 


 
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma

          

 Link to Our Web Site

 


 
The Next Issue of this Newsletter will be on Friday, September 30.

We Are Epiok.org

September 23, 2011

Issue 32

 
 

Bishop's Schedule 

 

September 25                St. Matthew's, Enid

September 27 - 29          Clergy Conference

September 29 - 10/1       Province VII - Synod Meeting

 

Nominations for Presentation at 2011 Convention 

 

The delegates to the Annual Convention will be responsible for electing the following officers and delegates:

 

Standing Committee:  1 Clergy and 1 Adult Lay Communicant

 

For information on placing a nomination, go to: http://www.epiok.org/resources/2009-diocesan-convention.html and scroll down for Nomination Memo and Nomination Form.

 

The Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church is coming to Tulsa

 

Presiding Bishop 

 

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church, will be in Tulsa on October 9-10.

 

On Sunday evening, October 9, Bishop Katharine will preach and concelebrate with Bishop Ed at the 60th Anniversary Celebration of St. John's Episcopal Church, 4200 S. Atlanta Place. The service begins at 5:30pm, and a reception will follow in the Common Room.

 

On Monday evening, October 10, Bishop Katharine will deliver the annual William H. and Rita Bell Lecture in Anglican and Ecumenical Studies. Her lecture is titled "Anglican/Episcopal Mission, Past, Present, and Future: Party Politics or Body Politics?" The Lecture will begin at 7:30pm in the Sharp Chapel on the campus of the University of Tulsa.

Character Council of Edmond, OK -

Champion of Character Award


Mary Ann Coffman

(l - r) Anna Brumley, Mary Ann Coffman, and Diane Krakowski

Anna and Diane nominated Mary Ann for the award.

All three are members of St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

 

Mary Ann Coffman, a longtime member of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, wife and mother of two, walked into Rolling Green Apartments three years ago, with no idea, no goal in mind and no idea where she was going. She just felt led to get to know the community with no judgment ... wanting to make a difference.


"She had the insight to know that just walking in one time and offering to help wasn't going to make the difference that you see in this community today," wrote Anna Brumley in her nomination of Coffman as a Champion of Character for the character trait of discernment.

Discernment can be defined as "understanding the deeper reasons why things happen," said Character Council president Jim Hulsey. "Understanding deeper reasons takes time and often lots of patience, but mostly it just takes commitment."

"Coffman diligently walked the campus week after week introducing herself to people and inviting them into the tutoring program, to Vacation Bible School and watched to see what their needs as a community are," Brumley said.

Over the past three years, the community has come to trust Coffman as she has worked side by side on a collaborative with other church communities in Edmond (St. Mary's Episcopal Church, First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Christian Church, the Masonic Lodge and the University of Central Oklahoma) and the management and residents of Rolling Green.

"This question about 'benefit' might better be answered by LeDonna Sloniker, Rolling Green manager," Brumley said, "but what I have seen over time is that the children are displaying better manners, speaking more respectfully, softening in their demeanor and all around bonding to people." Previous to this, the Rolling Green manager saw only skepticism from residents.

"I have heard from the parents of Rolling Green that they have seen a difference in the children's attitudes too," continued Brumley. "I think there is more a sense of community and Mary Ann has not only met the families but introduced them to their neighbors. Also, this caring has helped support the motivation of management to continue striving for success in their community."

Through this process Coffman has always recognized the deeper purpose of her knocking on management's door that day three years ago. One testimony attributed to a longtime resident at Rolling Green, regarding Coffman, was that she "provided a more personalized presence, more heart and more commitment." She loves her neighbors.

On behalf of the Community of Edmond and the City Council, the Character Council of Edmond wishes to extend their appreciation and recognition to Mary Ann Coffman, as a "Champion of Character."

Health Fair at St. Christopher's

Midwest City

Saturday, October 8,      9 - 1 p.m.

 

Health Fair

 

Flu shots (bring Medicare/Medicaid info or $25), pneumonia shots ($50), free blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol checks.  Representatives from an assisted living, hospice, home health and legal aid will be present; also the OK County Sheriff's Department will be present for children's (or senior adult) fingerprinting.

 

Open to all.  Contact Mother Emily at 732-4802 with questions. 

You Are Invited!

 

DOK    

 

What:   Daughters of the King Board Meeting and Fall Retreat

 

When:   October 28-29, 2011                      

 

Where: St. Crispin's Conference Center, Powell Lodge

 

Retreat Leader:   The Rev. Susanne Methven                  

 

Retreat Theme: "Five Holy Habits" 

 

Reservations:  Deadline for reservations, accompanied by full payment, is September 25, 2011.

Make checks payable to St. Crispin's.

Mail your check to Karen Kelly, 5212 South Birmingham Place, Tulsa, OK 74105-6616.

Call Karen Kelly with questions: 918-743-3055 (h); 918-520-5213 (c).

 

Cost:

$ 65.00-Double room with dinner, breakfast and lunch.

$ 85.00-Private room with dinner, breakfast and lunch.

Scholarships are available! (Call Karen Kelly.)

Each person attending the Board meeting should plan to provide her own lunch on.

 

Schedule:  

Friday: 12:30-4:30 Board Meeting; 5:00 Dinner; 7:00-9:00 Retreat

Saturday: Retreat concludes with Eucharist beginning at 1:00.    

  

Bring: 

Snacks, wine, & soft drinks for yourself--or enough to share.

Bible, Prayer Book, paper/pen for notes.

Comfortable clothes, shoes, sweater, shawl, 'jamas, house shoes, flip-flops, robes, etc.   

Ideas and love to share.

 

Bridges Out of Poverty

Event offered In McAlester, OK

 

bridges out of poverty

Invitation to Register for a FREE training event: "HEALING COMMUNITIES"

 

Tuesday, October 18, 2011, from 9:00 to 4:30 PM      (lunch provided)

Crossings Community Center, 2208 W. Hefner Road, Oklahoma City

 

Preregistration is required, and space is limited to 150 attendees

 

Prison Missioner Nancy Brock encourages you to attend this FREE, training event, designed to engage churches and faith-based organizations in facilitating the healing of people affected by crime and incarceration. It is an evidence-based program that seeks to invoke the unique gifts and belief systems of the Church - such as acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, redemption and restoration - in a Restorative Justice-centered process in which the needs of crime victims, families of victims and perpetrators, and of offenders and ex-offenders, may be recognized and honored.  The training will equip leaders to implement this program to establish a true "Community of Healing" in their congregations.

 

More information is available at http://healingcommunitiesusa.org/default.aspx.

 

To REGISTER, go to www.faithlinksok.org and select "Featured Events" from the left navigation menu. On the Featured Events page, select "click here" at the bottom of the Healing Communities posting and you will be directed to the event registration page.

 

St. Mary's School Now Offering Strings Program

 

St Mary's school music program

 

St Marys music program 2

 

Under the direction of music instructor, Lisa Day, students in grades first through sixth, now have the opportunity to join a strings program at St. Mary's Episcopal School.

 

"I am very excited and privileged to lead the program" Day said. "It will not only enhance the student's life overall, but also teach them more about teamwork, provide additional social preparedness, and offer emotional channels for their young lives."

 

The school year began with nine string students, ranging in experience from one month to almost four years, most of which have trained with Day through private lessons.

 

In developing the program, Day said, "It was important to give the students another opportunity for ensemble experience. And with the addition of the school's middle division, we are advancing our music program to the next level." The school's long term goal is to grow the program and develop a school orchestra.

 

Besides the strings programs, music is a regular part of the program for children preschool through sixth grade. From music expression through movement, singing, and basic rhythm instruments for preschool children, to complex rhythm patters, music theory and performance opportunities for the older children, St. Mary's considers music a vital part of a child's education. Students are exposed to musical theory using the Orff Schulwerk philosophy. Faculty member Lisa Day is master level Orff certified, and holds trainings from Trinity University, Southern Methodist University and the University of Memphis, as well as a music degree from the University of Oklahoma. She holds teaching certifications in instrumental, vocal and general music. 

Connecting to Youth 

 

Faith Lens - put out by the ECLA - is sent out weekly by e-mail. It connects the Lectionary Readings to something in the news or relating to the youth culture.  

 

G-dcast has the Torah in 52 or so short and fun videos, and they recently announced an iPod/iPad app.

Invitation for Anglicans to Take Part in

Unique Bible Survey

 

As part of the Bible in the Life of the Church project we are undertaking a Communion-wide survey of the way Anglicans understand and engage with the Bible. We rightly say the Bible is central to our life together but we also engage with it and interpret it in different ways. What are those differences? Why might there be differences? What can we learn from those who differ from us?

 

We are undertaking this survey by means of a questionnaire that is now available online and in a downloadable paper form. It takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and we want as many Anglicans as possible to get involved - either individually or through their local churches.

 

We also want to use the questionnaire as a way that churches can explore further the way they engage with the Bible, the processes used. So we have written a five-session course outline that looks in more depth at the issues that lie behind the questionnaire.

 

The results from the survey will be included in the final reports that come from the project when it reports to Anglican Consultative Council at its next meeting in November 2012.

 

Below are the various ways you can be involved in the survey and the necessary links or contacts.

 

1. Get your church or group to participate together using paper or online completion. For details look at "Guidelines for distribution and collection" http://www.aco.org/ministry/theological/bible/survey.cfm.

 

2. Take part individually in the survey online by going to: http://tinyurl.com/bilcsurvey.

 

3. Use the survey as part of a bible-study programme. For details of the five-session course Leaders' notes look at: http://www.aco.org/ministry/theological/bible/survey.cfm.

 

For more details about the project as a whole go to: www.aco.org/ministry/theological/bible/index.cfm.

 

To contact Stephen Lyon, Co-ordinator Bible in the Life of the Church Project email: stephenplyon@gmail.com.  

 

On Giving to the Church

 

giving to the church

 

I often say Tithe and Tell is the silver bullet of Stewardship. Don't stop reading. I just said two scary words. Let's unpack that a little. The tithe is defined as giving ten percent of one's income to God's Kingdom through the church. Tithing is a discipline that grows out of prayer and discernment. The tithe can be too much for some and not enough for others. If you give out of thankfulness to God for his many blessings, and truly want to partner with him in his ongoing plan and you give regularly as your response, then you are a proportional giver. You are giving a percentage of your income, regardless of what that may be. The first step of using your giving as a holy habit of discipleship is to know that percentage. Everyone who gives is a percentage giver. The desire to be generous is within all of us. Realizing that desire requires practice. You may never reach a tithe or you may go beyond. Having a generous heart toward God is the goal. The amount is simply a tool in fostering that relationship.

 

The other part of this silver bullet is Tell. There are several aspects to the importance of telling your stewardship story. The first is it helps you crystallize what you personally believe about your role as caretaker of God's creation and participant in his work. Second, sharing your story of thankfulness for the abundance of God's blessings, counters the cultural story of scarcity that convinces us there simply is not enough: Not enough time, not enough money, not enough love. Third, your story opens up possibilities for the listener to imagine a new way of seeing and believing for him or herself. Stories are not meant to induce guilt or offer advice; they are simply a way to share experience, strength and hope.

 

Charlene Fabian, Director of Stewardship

Watonga Honor Dance 2011

 

honor dance 1

 

Watonga 2

 

Watonga 3

9/11 Service at UCO 

  

UCO 911 service

 

"University of Central Oklahoma had a 9/11 service on their campus last week, and Father Mark Story of St. Mary's in Edmond did such a beautiful and moving prayer for the 250 students, faculty and staff gathered for the event."

                                    Kathryn Gage

Join Us on A Journey to the Holy Land!

 

Holy Land with Bishop

 

The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma 

~presents~

 

A Journey to the Holy Land

 

Under the Direction of

The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. Konieczny

Local Guide: Canon Iyad Qumri

Hosted at Saint George's

 

Limited to the first 25

 Depart: June 8, 2012

Return: June 20, 2012

 

Total Cost: $4,100.00 per person

 

To secure your spot, send your deposit check in the amount of $500,  made payable to the Episcopal Diocese of Okahoma, 924 North Robinson, Oklahoma City, OK 73102  attention: Jeni Kaufman.

 

 Jordan River
Jordan River

For more information, go to www.epiok.org and click on the Journey to Holy Land link.  

St. Francis Day Resource 

 

st francis 2

 

Here's a new free resource just published by Episcopal Relief & Development. They have recently finished a special "Blessing of the Animals" module of the Abundant Life Garden Project for use on St. Francis day.

 

If you would like a copy, all you need to do is send a quick email with your name, parish name, and your email address to: Churchengagement@er-d.org. Their staff will send you a pdf file with a child-friendly liturgy and a brief homily, which includes photographs from the work of Episcopal Relief & Development. Suggestions for outreach activities and prayers are also included. If you decide to use it (or any part of it), please let them know and send them any photographs or comments and suggestions you might have!

 

Cindy Coe

Formation Consultant, Episcopal Relief & Development www.ETChristianFormation.org

New Resources in the Diocesan Office

 

Looking for some new and exciting resources for small groups? Thinking ahead to Advent and Lent? We have the following resources available at the Diocsean Office for your use:

 

40 Days of Living the Jesus Creed

The Jesus Creed - Adults

The Jesus Creed - Students

Jesus Creed - Video

Mudhouse Sabbath - An invitation of a Life of Spiritual Discipline (Seven Ways of Christian Formation Inspired by the Jewishness of Jesus) - book

Mudhouse Sabbath - DVD

Making Crosses - A Creative Connection to God

Writing to God - 40 days of Praying with my Pen

Praying with the Body - Bringing the Psalms to Life - Book

Praying with the Body - Video

The Christmas Countdown - Creating 25 days of New Advent Traditions for Families

Journey to the Heart - Centering Prayer for Children

Curriculum to Share 

 

witness curriculum

 

We have copies of the Witness curriculum published by Augsburg Fortress. These materials have 15 lessons per book along with 5 bonus sessions, and there are two books per grade. The younger group materials (Pre-K - K) and (1st and 2nd grade) have files made up already with the materials needed for each of the lessons. The other materials have some handouts and other materials. Finally, I have two teacher guid ebooks (20 lessons total) for 7th and 8th grades. If you are interested in looking at thes or having them for use in your parish, let me know. They are FREE. 

 

Casady School To Host Open Houses

 

Casady School logo


9500 North Pennsylvania Avenue

Oklahoma City, OK 73120 

 

Primary Division - October 23, 2011 - 2 - 4 p.m.

Upper Division - October 25, 2011 - 6:00 p.m.

Admission Office 749-3125

www.casady.org 

Canterbury Faire

 

 Canterbury Faire 2011

Fall Gathering for Retired Clergy/Spouses

 

The Fall Gathering of the Retired Clergy/Spouse event is scheduled for October 10 - 11 at St. Crispin's. Arrival time should be 2:00 pm on Monday, will adjourn after Lunch on Tuesday (11th).

 

Bishop Charleston

 

Bishop Charleston will make a presentation for the Monday program, and Nancy Thompson from the Diocesan Offices will offer up-dates on Insurance and related items on Tuesday morning.

 

Those who are attending are asked to notify either Georgia or me no later than Sept. 24th so that the proper amount of food can be ordered and prepared. Our telephone number is :(918)335-0929, e-mail addresses are: gatageorge@aol.com, of frb426@aol.com

 

Attendees are asked to bring a snack for sharing at the fellowship time on Monday.

 

The Rev. Bob Gates 

2011 Diocesan Convention

 

Registration Packets for the 2011 Diocesan Convention have been mailed out to the convention liaisons designated by each congregation. The liaison is responsible for providing these materials to the clergy and delegates. We encourage you to go ahead and make your hotel reservations as soon as possible. . The cutoff date for reservations is October 4th. Contact the hotel at:   

  

Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center

6808 S. 107th E. Ave.

Tulsa, OK 74133

 t: 918-307-4006  f: 918-307-2907

 

Information on the 2011 Diocesan Convention can also be found on the diocese's web site, www.epiok.org.  Click on the link "2011 Diocesan Convention" found on the front page.

Mark the Date

 

Thunder

  

The Diocese will be having Episcopal Night with the Thunder on March 16, 7 p.m. here in OKC. We are only able to secure 120 tickets together at a cost of $10 each and there will not be an opportunity to secure any more. So, get your reservations now - first come - first serve - and plan to attend this event. Additionally, if you will submit the name of any children children tickets are being purchased for, we will be having a contest. 16 children will be chosen to go down on the court during player Introductions, during National Anthem, and also starting line-ups.  WE CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 50 TICKETS LEFT.

 

Promises to be a great night for all!

ADDITIONAL Safeguarding God's Children Training Opportunities      

   

We now have over 900 people in the Dicoese trained in Safeguarding God's People! That is an increase of 300 in the last six months! We have been working hard to provide Safeguarding training sessions so that all clergy, including deacons, would have an opportunity to be trained. It is our intention that all clergy and deacons complete Safeguarding God's Children training  by the end of the year. In order to help you out, we have scheduled the following training opportunities:

 

September 24     St. Luke's, Bartlesville 1 p.m.

Contact The Rev. Stephanie Mitchell at smitchell@episcopalbartlesville.org to register

 

October 13            St. Andrew's, Stillwater - 10 a.m.

 

October 15           St. Luke's, Bartlesville  9 a.m.

see above for contact information

 

October 22            St. Christopher's Midwest City

9 - 12 p.m.  The Rev. Paul Snyder is the contact person and trainer.  Call 732-4802 to sign up.

 

November  19       St. Basil's, Tahlequah - 10 a.m.

 

December 5          St. Luke's, Chickasha - 5:30 p.m.

 

These trainings should take about 3 hours long.

 

Safeguarding God's Children is required of all clergy and deacons who are active in ministry within the diocese, including clergy that serve as supply. Attendance at one of these trainings is mandatory.  Safeguarding must be retaken every 5 years for clergy.

 

These trainings are open to all in people of the Diocese. Even if you have had safeguarding in the past, you too must recertify every 5 years to keep current. You can download the registration form at: 

http://www.epiok.org/resources/safeguarding_god_s_children.html 

A Women's Retreat

CREATION

CENTERED

SPIRITUALITY:

 

red mesa 

 And God Called

Creation

 "Good"

  8-9 October 2011

 

St. Crispin's Camp

and Conference Center

 

Retreat Facilitator: The Rev. Debora L. Jennings

Want moreinformation,contact

Pam Hudson

2800 N.W. 21st Street

Oklahoma City, OK 73107

atomicbrown2004@yahoo.com

 

Registration Deadline September 20.

2nd Half of Life 

10 Tips for Re-Inventing Yourself During

September is Healthy Aging Month:

 

1.    BACK TO SCHOOL.It's never too late...Take courses to refocus your career, enhance your skill set and increase your earning power. Finding the balance between work, family and education while pursuing a higher degree may seem overwhelming. Dr. Savitri Dixon-Saxon, associate dean for Walden University's School of Counseling and Social Service, offers this tip:"Choose a focus or specialization that you truly care about. The juggling act will be much more challenging for you if you don't enjoy your field of study. Choose a focus area you are passionate about. You can pursue a degree online. Walden University is one example."

 

2.     TAKE A VOLUNTEER VACATION. Visit New Places, Connect, and Give Back. Many travelers today are opting out of the self-indulgent vacation and opting in for the chance to "give back" through a volunteer vacation. These trips are a great way to try something new, fulfill a dream, or experiment living in a different place, for a short or longer time commitment. Volunteer Vacations Across America, (www.immersiontraveler.org) is a good resource with more than 200 trips for volunteering to help people. More resource ideas and links can be found in the Volunteer Vacation article of the September issue of Healthy AgingŪ Magazine, www.healthyaging.net.

 

3.     FINANCIAL MAKEOVER.    Approaching deadline means potential changes for investors - Mark your calendars, investors. For anyone who wishes to undo a 2010 Roth IRA conversion and revert back to a traditional IRA, the deadline to do so will be October 15, 2011. Re-characterization is available to investors who may have changed their mind about a conversion in 2010 and will be able to roll back over to a traditional IRA with no implications. Jean Dorrell, president of Senior Financial Security in Summerfield, Fla., offers this tip:  "Some circumstances where investors may want to consider re-characterizing their Roth IRA option include a change in marital status or downsizing. Switching to a traditional IRA may be a positive option for investors who may have lost money in the investment vehicle in their Roth."

 

4.     DANCE LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW. Older adults getting regular physical exercise are 60% less likely to get dementia. Exercise increases oxygen to the brain and releases a protein that strengthens cells and neurons. Dance involves all of the above plus the cerebral activity present in learning and memory. Peggy Buchanan, director of fitness, aquatics and physical therapy at Front Porch's Vista del Monte retirement community in Santa Barbara, Calif.

 

Where to find dance classes? Check out these websites for ideas: National Dance Council of America   (http://ndca.org/getting-started-in-dance/), Dance Studios USA (http://www.dancestudiosusa.com/), National Directory of Flamenco Dance Classes (http://www.flamencousa.com/class.php3) , National Arts & Disability Center (UCLA) (http://nadc.ucla.edu/dance.cfm)

 

5.     HIT THE ROAD.   Travel is one of the top picks when people are asked what they would do if they had more time. Sometimes the money factor makes that dream fall apart. Here are several travel sites for finding good fares and rates: Travelocity.com, Expedia.com, Priceline.com and Kayak.com. A new one is TripAlertz.com, a "private-sale," members-only travel community where consumers aggregate their purchasing power to create travel deals. Each deal offers savings off the leading "public" online travel sites. TripAlertz sells the excess inventory of premium hotels to its 4,000,000 customers. Signing up is free at TripAlertz.com. For every member that a person refers, you earn TripCash and entries into a variety of giveaways and promotions. Members can also choose to meet other TripAlertz members as they travel, share advice, and create friendships on a private collaboration page, before and after traveling.

 

6.    BECOME A ROCK N ROLL STAR. For a weekend anyway. Here's a good one for the buck list. Check out Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy Camp (www.RockCamp.com), where mere mortals jam with rock legends, write/record an original song and play live on stage at a major concert venue.  Past camps have been held in New York City, Woodstock, and London. This is a great decade gift or corporate event too. The Camp offers two upcoming adventures in Los Angeles for those who are looking for the ultimate rock star experience:

 

November 10-13:  Fantasy meets fantasy with Lita Ford (The Runaways), Paul Stanley, the frontman of the legendary band KISS, and other rock stars at the historic Playboy Mansion.  Joining Paul will be many rock stars including Nils Lofgren (E Street Band, Neil Young), Vinny Appice (Dio, Black Sabbath), and Billy Sheehan (Steve Vai, David Lee Roth).

 

February 16-20: Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne) headlines the camp with Steve Vai, Matt Sorum (Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver) and others.

 

7.    LEARN TO PAINT. Complete A Landscape, seascape, floral or still life painting in one class. No painting experience necessary. Seek if fine arts peeks you interest. One day classes by Grumbacher, an American manufacturer of art materials for over 100 years, can be found at Michaels, the arts and crafts retailer with locations nationwide.http://www.michaels.com/Fine-Arts-Class-by-Michaels/Fine-Arts-Class,default,pg.html#  

 

8.    BECOME A SURFER DUDE.  Try a new sport or pick up on one you left behind in your early days. What about surfing? There are many learn to surf schools along the California coast and in Florida. Hear what older surfers have to say about following their passion in the September issue of Healthy AgingŪ Magazine, www.healthyaging.net

 

9.     EAT FRESH. Make a commitment to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. September is still harvest time in many areas so seek out local farmers markets and buy local produce. Make it a point to try to make foods from scratch... skip the processed foods as much as you can. How much do you need to eat? Check this easy calculator to find out how many fruits and vegetables you need each day, based on your daily calories needs. Details: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/

 

10.   RE-INVENT YOURSELF IN NAPA VALLEY.   Travel to the famed wine country this Fall and take a wine tasting course (http://www.ciaprochef.com/winestudies/index.html) or cooking course http://www.ciachef.edu/california/educational.asp) at  The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena, CA. Or, check out the Napa Valley Film Festival, November 9-13, 2011. Get Festival Pass Discounts with hotel confirmation at http://www.napavalleyfilmfest.org.

 

 

http://www.healthyaging.net/articlelive/articles/358/1/10-Tips-for-September-is-Healthy-Aging-Month/Page1.html

Closing - Prayers for September  

 

september 2011

 

Good-Bye Summer and Welcome Fall Prayer

"God of light, thank you for the warm, sunny days of summer and all the fun we had, especially [invite all present to share their favorite summer activities and memories]. Now that it's September and summer's ending, help us to stay focused on new tasks and challenges ahead and embrace all that the fall has to offer us, including [encourage all present to share their favorite fall activities, such as football or apple picking]. Let us live with joy in the world You've given us, now and always. Amen."

Prayer for Adjusting to the New School Year

"God of power and might, bless all those adjusting to a new school year this September. Grant them patience - with themselves and each other - as they deal with new teachers, subjects, schools, and skills. Change is never easy, but let those in transition find peace in You. Amen."

Contact Information

Sabrina Evans