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Companion Diocese Uruguay
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/
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The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
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The Next Issue of this Newsletter will be on Friday, October 21. |
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We Are Epiok.org
October 14 2011
Issue 35 |
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Bishop's Schedule
October 16 St. John's Durant
October 23 St. Matthew's Sand Springs
October 30 St. Peter's Tulsa |
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New Materials for Advent Use
We now have these materials in the resource room which might be helpful for your Advent programming:
A Thrill of Hope: The Christmas Story in Word and Art - There is a DVD and Discussion Guide. Thsi is based off the artwork of John August Swanson.
The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem. These materials are by Adam Hamilton. We have adult, youth, and children materials along with the DVD and Leader's Guide. |
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Episcoposse Gathering in Tulsa
Episcoposse, a Tulsa area youth ministry for youth in 6th-12th grade will meet at St. Dunstan's on Sunday from 4:00-6:30pm. Wear clothes you can do work in. Dinner will be served. |
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Welcome to The Rev. Mike Stephenson
We are pleased to welcome back The Rev. Mike Stephenson to the Diocese of Oklahoma. He is now serving as Interim Rector at St. Andrew's, Stillwater, and began there October 13.
Mike was a postulant from the Diocese of Oklahoma from St. John's, Oklahoma City.
Mike attended the Chicago Theological Seminary. Prior to his coming back to Oklahoma, Mike served on the Bishop's Staff in the Diocese of Chicago.
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Celebration of Ministry
Please join us as we celebrate the ministry of
Fr. Floyd & Edwina Daharsh
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Holy Eucharist 11:00 AM
Followed by Feast & Fellowship
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
18th & Lelia
Guymon, Oklahoma |
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Presiding Bishop at St. Simeon's
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Piano Concert
Christ Memorial Church, El Reno, will be hosting Sergio Monteiro in a Piano Concert on November 20, 2011 at 5 p.m. with a reception following. Sergio Monteiro emerged as a new and shining star of the international scene in September 2003, after enchanting the public and the critics who heard him win the First Prize of the Second Martha Argerich International Piano Competition. A young musician does not often engender the same intense admiration from his fellow performers, composers, public, and critics. Monteiro belongs to the small group of pianists able to break down the resistance and to expand the borders of his art. |
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Guest Speakers at All Souls', OKC
Potluck Dinner
Sunday, October 16th
6:00 p.m.
Parish Hall
Speaker: Dr. Nicole Blackwood
childcare will be provided
RSVP:
call the church office at 842-1461
email: tmass@allsoulsokc.com
or sign up in the church office
Dr. Stephen Blackwood will be our guest preacher on the weekend of Sunday, October 16th, and will also speak at the Sunday adult forum in the Parish Hall at 10:15 a.m.
His wife, Dr. Nicole Blackwood, will present that evening in the Parish Hall on Mysterious Manufacture: Looking Closely at the Saint Veronica Altarpiece, c. 1525. Dr. Nicole Blackwood who will give a presentation on the Vera Icon. She writes, "At the time of the great Renaissance masters such as Michelangelo, Dürer, and Bramante, a little-known woodcut engraver, Ugo da Carpi, made a painting that was to accompany one of the most important relics in Saint Peter's, the vera icon, or miraculous imprint of Christ's face. For more than eighty years, this obscure painting was placed on an altar directly below the chamber that housed the divine relic. This talk will explore the theological issues at stake in the vera icon in Rome and how Ugo's painting reproduced the relic in such a peculiar way that it brought Michelangelo to a state of laughter during mass."
Dr. Stephen Blackwood will offer two classes Monday and Tuesday evenings, October 17th and 18th, at 5:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall on Rhythm, Memory, & The Habit of Prayer. He will address how the liturgical calendar and the daily habit of prayer both shapes our memory and deepens our lives in the grace of God. This is also known as "the sanctification of time", a term and principle well understood by those in the monastic tradition but which also has great import for all manner of Christian living. N.B. On these two days Evening Prayer will be moved up to 5:00 p.m. in the Lady Chapel.
Dr. Stephen Blackwood will also speak Tuesday, October 18th at noon to the ECW luncheon on Travelling Europe - a faith enriching experience. Dr. Blackwood has worked, from his time as a student, with television and radio personality Rick Steves. He will speak from that experience on how travel in so many parts of Europe can enhance and wonderfully inform one's faith. Cost of lunch is $7.00 and payable at the door.
Stephen is described as a scholar, academic administrator, and social entrepreneur. He is the founding president of Ralston College, a start-up institution of higher education in Savannah, Ga.,. He was educated at the University of King's College and Dalhousie University. He received his PhD at Emory University in Religion. He has been a Fellow in the English Department at Harvard University. His primary academic expertise is the literary history of philosophy, and he is a specialist on the work of the 6th century Christian philosopher Boethius.
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Parish Health Fair
About 50 members of St. Christopher's and the surrounding community came by to explore at the parish's first health fair. Attendees took advantage of the time to learn about resources available to them from local health agencies as well as get a flu shot, have their glucose and blood pressure checked, and have their fingerprints taken for their own recordkeeping.
In the photo: Dottie Meyer, member of St.Christopher's and health fair organizer, has her blood pressure taken by a registered nurse from Phoenix Home Health agency.
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Securing Cribs in your Church Nursery
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For the first time in nearly 40 years, the federal government has approved new crib safety regulations that affect most every crib bought, used, sold, or donated across the country. The rules are complex, but it is critical for churches that provide cribs in their nurseries to know them.
Some of the rules went into effect this past June; additionally, beginning in December 2012, any facility-including churches-that provides child care and compensates its workers must use compliant cribs.
What's not as clear is what happens in a situation in which a church doesn't charge a fee or compensate workers. But even such a church would be wise to learn the new laws and consider voluntary compliance. Doing so would help to ensure the safety of children in its care and help to minimize its vulnerability to a future civil lawsuit, were the unthinkable to occur.
To help churches of all sizes and situations, we've provided an overview through this free article from ChurchSafety.com and this recent video update from Richard Hammar. To get a comprehensive explanation of the regulations and the numerous applications for churches and church-run daycares and schools, check out Securing Cribs in Your Church's Nursery, a new Feature Report written by Hammar. |
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Feasting on Gratitude
 The month of October is when most congregations across the country embark on their annual giving campaign or is often referred to as the "stewardship campaign." We know, however that stewardship is not a program, nor a campaign. Stewardship like discipleship is more of an ethic, the way we live our lives, the choices that we make that flow from a depth of understanding of who we are and to whom we belong. The purpose of an annual giving campaign is not only to raise support for the life-giving ministries of the congregation, but to also help one another explore intentional and proportional giving as a spiritual practice that reflects gratitude and generosity for all that has been given.
Stewardship is rooted in the understanding that the entirety of life is a gift from God. The most precious gift is God's self-gift, the person of Jesus Christ, who came so that we may know life abundant. We are called to offer praise and thanksgiving with the entirety of our lives. One of the most concrete ways that we offer praise and thanksgiving is through our pledge commitment. Money represents the labor and substance of our lives. When we make a pledge commitment in a very real way we are offering ourselves, souls and bodies back to God to be blessed for the building up of God's kingdom. Giving is worship. Giving is a powerful act of gratitude for all that has been given.
We know it is not always easy to be grateful. Work and life pressures abound. We face loss and disappointments. The cries of scarcity of the culture grow louder. Anxious worry often wins over trustful surrender. Gratitude is not always the obvious choice. it needs to be cultivated, nurtured and tended to with inner attentiveness. Gratitude is the fruit of life abundant. Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into home, a stranger into a friend.
Charlene Fabian, CFRE
Director of Stewardship and Planned Giving
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
4200 South Atlanta Place
Tulsa, OK 74105
918.712.7002 office
918.640.2312 cell
cfabian@epiok.org |
UTO Grants 
It is now time to apply for UTO Grants! Grant awards will be approved at Triennium during General Convention in July 2012; funds will be available for distribution in August or September 2012.
Please ask applicants to keep this schedule in mind when planning projects for 2012 applications.
The UTO applications are now up on the UTO website and can be found at www.episcopalchurch.org/uto. The more direct link to the applications page is http://www.episcopalchurch.org/110043_117733_ENG_HTM.htm.
As always, Michelle Jobson, our UTO Grants Associate, and I (Claudia Conner) are very glad to help anyone with the online applications. Please call us at 800.334.7626 (Claudia: ext. 5130; Michelle: ext. 6022) or email us at utoapps@episcopalchurch.org. We will walk anyone through the application, answer questions, solve problems, make people laugh and generally do our best to be sure everyone is happy when working with the UTO application.
The application period for 2012 starts October 1, 2011, and the deadline for receipt of applications by UTO is January 15, 2012. |
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The Appeal to Rebuild Holy Trinity Cathedral
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
 In the January 2010 earthquake 70% of the church buildings, including the Cathedral were destroyed.
On November 4th our Diocesan Convention will collect an offering to help rebuild the Church in Haiti. Everyone in our Diocese is urged to contribute.
The Episcopal Church in Haiti supported over 200 schools, medical clinics, a music school and a symphony orchestra before nearly all these properties were destroyed in the earthquake of January 2010. By rebuilding the church, we are rebuilding the communities that the church serves. People talk about 'Hope for Haiti.' We are building hope through our collective offerings.
You may send your donation to your church office, present it at our church ingathering on October 30th, or send it directly to the Church Center. Please make checks payable to The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma and note Rebuild the Church in Haiti on your check. |
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Strum And Drum
Don't let this event pass you by! Register now for Strum and Drum to be held at All Souls' Episcopal Church, Friday October 28 and Saturday October 29. Registration form is on line at: http://www.epiok.org/Christian%20Formation/guitar-weekend.html |
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Join Us on A Journey to the Holy Land!
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
For more information, go to www.epiok.org and click on the Journey to Holy Land link. |
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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:
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 1 Diocesan Office TRAIN THE TRAINER - Last one of the year. Contact Sabrina Evans 405 232 4820 to register
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 4 years for everyone.
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 4 years to keep current. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE RECERTIFICATION TIME IS 4 YEARS AND NOT 5 AS PREVIOUSLY INDICATED. You can download the registration form at:
http://www.epiok.org/resources/safeguarding_god_s_children.html |
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The Spiritual Side
Theological Reflection in a Small Group
by Abigail Johnson
Theological reflection is simply wondering about God's activity in our lives. Where is God present? What is God calling us to do? By taking time to ask questions about what happens to us-seeing our experiences through the lens of faith-we become clearer about our connection to God. We all ask questions about relationships, our work, our children, our government, and our situation in life. We all reflect, wonder, analyze, think, assess, and discuss with friends as ways of trying to understand our life. Theological reflection simply refocuses all that thinking to encourage a stronger sense of relationship with God, asking, "Where does God fit into the picture?"
I have outlined seven steps for theological reflection, six done as a personal reflection and the seventh in a group setting:
Step 1: Identify an event or situation on which to reflect. While this event can come from any part of our lives, it is more effective to deal with a situation that is current and still has some fresh feelings attached. Situations that are already resolved offer fewer possibilities for new insights. Also, deeper, unresolved issues from our past may need more intense debriefing from a spiritual director or counselor than is possible in a congregational small group.
Step 2: Name and describe your feelings about the situation. You may be feeling joy or frustration, sadness or anger, energy or boredom. All feelings are worth including in this process and sharing with God-the God who knows us intimately, the God from whom we cannot hide, who loves us and accepts all that we are. With God, we need not fear sharing whatever feelings are whirling around a particular event. And in a supportive group, sharing our feelings can be an affirming experience. Sometimes we find that other people have similar feelings, making us realize that we are not alone.
Identifying feelings is easy for some and more difficult for others. Asking ourselves what challenged, stimulated, or disturbed us is another way to get at the question of feelings. Try to keep "feeling" sentences simple, saying, "I feel sad" or "I feel angry" or "I feel joy." As soon as you add other words, then you are moving into thinking rather than feeling. For example, "I feel that . . ." shifts away from what you are feeling into statements and opinions.
Knowing how we feel is an important part of the reflective process but not the only part. Sorting through feelings allows us to acknowledge and recognize what we feel but makes it distinct from what we think and how we behave. For instance, I feel frustrated and angry dealing with a toddler who is a having a temper tantrum. I am entitled to my feelings of frustration and anger, but I also need to think about the dynamics involved. As an adult and a parent, I am a responsible person and need to keep the toddler safe. I need also to be clear that my behavior is distinct from my feelings; otherwise, I might end up lashing out at the toddler and later regretting my actions.
Taking time to identify feelings helps us to sort out what is going on internally as we reflect on an event. In addition, being clear about my own feelings helps me to be aware of others' feelings as distinct from my own. My feelings are not the only emotional activity in a situation, and reflecting on the sadness and joy of others helps to unpack what was going on. The fact that I feel sad does not mean that everyone feels sad about the same event. Understanding how others feel as distinct from how I feel may help me to see what motivates their behavior.
Step 3: Explore what you think about the situation and what dynamics are at play. Various factors are involved in any event, from office politics to personality traits to the history leading up to the event. Thinking through these various dynamics brings further clarity to the situation and helps us to see the complexity involved. You may want to bring analytical tools to the situation, such as power analysis. Who has power in this situation? Who does not? You may want to use economic analysis or social analysis as you think through social justice issues at play in this event. You may have other analytical tools you use in your work situation. Exploring what we think about a situation gives us some distance from the immediate feelings that arise so that we can move on to the next steps.
Step 4: Connect with God, and ask where God is present in your chosen situation. Begin by asking yourself where God is at work. Think about a biblical story or biblical text that has a connection to the event. You may have a faith stance that informs the situation. For instance, in dealing with my difficult toddler, my faith tells me that he is a dearly loved child of God. He may be less dear to me in this stressful moment, but God knows the number of hairs on his head, and I can draw strength from a sense of God's presence and care. A Scripture passage that comes to mind is the account of Jesus's welcoming the children and blessing them despite the protests of the disciples. As I watch my toddler screaming and beating his hands and feet on the floor, I feel like a protesting disciple, but Jesus's action reminds me that each child is blessed and loved. In addition, when we think about our faith connection, we can draw on other resources such as hymns, creeds, liturgies, and writings of the church.
Step 5: Think about what you have learned from this reflection. We may have gained some insights. We may decide on some new action. Perhaps we will do something differently next time, or we may feel a deeper conviction about what we have done. Usually, I have a different perspective on the situation by step 5 than when I began at step 1.
Step 6: Pray. In one sense, the whole reflection process is prayer, because it is intentional quiet time when we are conscious of God's presence in our lives. Yet concluding with an explicit prayer draws our whole reflection into an expression of our deepest hope. It takes all our hurts and joys, all insights and lingering questions into an intimate conversation with God. I have found that people using this process as a personal spiritual journey have deepened their prayer life or sometimes even discovered a prayer life if they had not experienced one before. It also takes the process of reflection from the posture of thinking about God to one of being with God.
Step 7: Present to the group. The situations that people choose are varied. Some events are relatively simple and easy to sort through: something happened, we worked through what took place using the reflective questions, and we feel a sense of resolution. In other situations, we might come back to a similar event again and again throughout our lives.
Theological reflection is not a problem-solving process. Reflection is an open-ended process, with no right or wrong answers. Clear answers may not emerge, and we may not find quick fixes to life's problems; yet we will find deeper meaning through conversation with God about everyday issues. Theological reflection is an opportunity to deepen a sense of God's presence in our lives, and an opportunity to discover what we believe and how our faith and life intersect. Typically, I find that many questions come to mind as I reflect on a situation. Rather than seeking answers, I try to "live the questions" as I discern where God is leading me, being attentive to God's voice in my life and work. |
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Working with Older Teens and Young Adults
Need some ideas of how to help grow your youth in their spiritual walk? You might check out these ideas: http://www.myfaithmylife.org/soultending.html.
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2nd Half of Life
Healthy aging: Tips for coping with change
As you age, there will be periods of both joy and stress. It's important to build your resilience and find healthy ways to cope with challenges. This ability will help you make the most of the good times and keep your perspective when times are tough.
- Focus on the things you're grateful for. The longer you live, the more you lose. But as you lose people and things, life becomes even
- more precious. When you stop taking things for granted, you appreciate and enjoy what you have even more.
- Acknowledge and express your feelings. You may have a hard time showing strong emotions, perhaps feeling that such a display is inappropriate and weak. But burying your feelings can lead to anger, resentment, and depression. Don't deny what you're going through. Find healthy ways to process your feelings, perhaps by talking with a close friend or writing in a journal.
- Accept the things you can't change. Many things in life are beyond our control. Rather than stressing out over them, focus on the things you can control such as the way you choose to react to problems. Face your limitations with dignity and a healthy dose of humor.
- Look for the silver lining. As the saying goes, "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." When facing major challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth. If your own poor choices contributed to a stressful situation, reflect on them and learn from your mistakes.
- Take daily action to deal with life's challenges. When challenges seem too big to handle, sweeping them under the carpet often appears easier. But ignoring the problem doesn't make it go away; it allows both the problem and your anxiety to build. Instead, take things one small step at a time. Even a small step can go a long way to boosting your confidence and reminding you that you are not powerless.
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| Closing - Prayer for October
Most high, omnipotent good Lord, grant your people grace to renounce gladly the vanities of this world; that, following the way of blessed Francis, we may for love of you delight in your whole creation with perfectness of joy. O God, you have made us and all living things. You are even more wonderful than what you have made. We thank you for giving us these pets who bring us joy. As you take care of us, so also
we ask your help that we might take care of those who trust us to look after them. By doing this, we share in your own love for all creation. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. |
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Contact Information
Sabrina Evans
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