 |
Upcoming
Bishop's
Events |  | |
May 20
All Souls', OKC
May 29
Holland Hall Baccalaureat
May 30
Holland Hall Commencement
|
 |
Upcoming Diocese Events |  | |
To register or for more inforamtion please go onto the Dicoesan Web Site below or call the local congregation:
May 20
Ingathering of Alleluia Fund
June 1- 2
Vital, Healthy, and Growing Congregations
St. John's, Tulsa
June 16
Diocesan Christian Formation Training Event
Celebremos la Fiesta
Let us Celebrate the Feast!
9:30 - 3
Santa Maria Virgen Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City
July 27
Episcopal Night at the Red Hawks Game
7:05
September 27-30
Co-Ed Spanish Speaking Cursillo
St. Crispin's
|
 | |  | |
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
|
 | |  | |
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/
|
 | |  | |
The Next Issue of this Newsletter will be on Friday,
May 25, 2012. |
|
|
|
We Are Epiok.org
May 18, 2012
Issue 20 |
|
|
|
|
News, Events, and Offerings |
Prayer Request from Companion Diocese
Dear brothers and sisters,
Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
We come to you, as our Partners in Mission, to join us in our diocesan prayer request for the provincial confirmation of our bishop coadjutor elected, Michael Pollesel.
This will take place in a provincial meeting of the House of Bishops and Executive Council to be held in Montevideo, May 20 to 25.
This is a very important issue in our Church life. Please, pray for us!
In His love and service,
+Miguel
Bishop of Uruguay |
Episcopal Service Corp s
Congratulations to Megan Shepherd, from St. Patrick's, Broken Arrow, who will be going to Episcopal Service Corps in Boston beginning August 13.
|
Live Webcast Features Discussion about Mission with Episcopal Presiding Bishop, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
May 19 from Washington National Cathedral
A live webcast featuring an enlightening conversation about mission between Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Archbishop Desmond Tutu will be available at no fee on Saturday, May 19 at 3:30 pm Eastern (2:30 pm Central, 1:30 pm Mountain, 12:30 pm Pacific, 11:30 am Alaska, 9:30 am Hawaii) on the website of the Episcopal Church www.episcopalchurch.org and will be available on demand afterwards.
Hosted by Washington National Cathedral, the event will be moderated by David Crabtree, news anchor at WRAL-TV in North Carolina and an ordained deacon.
Framing the conversation on the Anglican Five Marks of Mission, the questions to be explored are: "What does Mission mean to me"; and "What does mission look like in the world."
The May 19 event is the first in a series of discussions about mission with the Presiding Bishop and other prominent religious leaders.
The event is ideal for congregation and group viewing, adult forums, discussion groups, etc.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu: http://www.tutu.org/bio-desmond-tutu.php
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/presiding-bishop
The Anglican Five Marks of Mission
The Five Marks of Mission were developed by the Anglican Consultative Council between 1984 and 1990 and have won wide acceptance among Anglicans, and have given parishes and dioceses around the world a practical and memorable "checklist" for mission activities.
The Five Marks of Mission are:
1. To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
2. To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
3. To respond to human need by loving service
4. To seek to transform unjust structures of society
5. To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth
The Five Marks of Mission: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/five-marks-mission
On the web:
Live webcast features discussion about mission with Episcopal Presiding Bishop, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/notice/live-webcast-features-discussion-about-mission-episcopal-presiding-bishop-archbishop-desmond- |
|
More from Education for Ministry (EfM)

Just a reminder, if you are interested in EfM Mentor training, it will be held at St. Crispin's August 16 - 18. Information is on line at: http://www.epiok.org/Christian%20Formation/education-for-ministry.html. |
|
Episcopal Night at the Red Hawks is Back!
July 27 will be your chance to be a part of Episcopal Night at the Red Hawks game. Last year, we sold out of tickets. This year, we have 200 tickets available, all on the 3rd base side and costing only $8 per person. These are on a first come, first serve basis. Come join the fun. Send your order and check for payment to Sabrina Evans at the Diocese, checks made payable to Diocese of OK. |
Trinity Church, Eufaula, Reunion
 |
Episcopal Co-Ed Softball Teams Needed
Does your congregation have a softball team? Would you like to play against other Episcopal teams? Whether you are a beginner or a pro, come out and join us for some fun and fellowship playing Co-ed Softball Episcopal style!!!
It is free to play. The rules are adult friendly. All games are on Sunday night. End of the year tournament for all the marbles.
Choose a captain and let us know if your church would like to join. All you need is five guys and five gals to get started. Contact Kevin Koch @405-863-6335 (kevinkoch03@gmail.com) or Sean O'Brien @ 405-246-6368 (sobrien@cliffordpower.com) for information.
Check us out on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CoEdEpiscopalSoftballLeague |
Alleluia Fund
THE ALLELUIA FUND is a diocesan-wide offering. Its purpose is to empower our diocese to respond to God's call to build the church by creating new resources for mission and ministry, and to encourage every member of our Diocese to live more fully into his/her baptismal covenant. The Alleluia Fund will be celebrated May 20th.
Please note "Alleluia Fund" on your check and send your contribution to:
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
924 North Robinson
Oklahoma City, OK 73102 |
Safeguarding God's Children Training
St. Luke's, Tulsa, will host a training on Saturday, June 16 from 9 until noon. contact Paula Rule (prule@stjtulsa.org) to register.
The Diocese will be offering two Safeguarding Trainings the Summer -one for becoming a trainer and one regular training.

July 21 at 10 a.m. at the Diocesan Offices will be the train the trainer event. This is an all day event. Completion of this training will allow you to do training in your congregation and throughout the Diocese.
August 11 at 10 a.m. at the Diocesan Offices, we will host a Safeguarding God's Children training. Safeguarding is required every 4 years for clergy, vestry, treasurers, bishop's committee members, those who work with children - Sunday School teachers, youth ministers, choir directors, and sextons. This would be a great time to get trained before the beginning of your program year.
Registration forms can be found at: http://www.epiok.org/resources/safeguarding_god_s_children.html. |
Vital, Healthy, and Growing Congregations
Applying the Five Keys
A Workshop for Clergy and Lay Leaders of the Diocese of Oklahoma
Lead by The Very Reverend Kevin Martin
Author, Speaker and Dean of St. Matthew's Cathedral, Dallas
At a time when many Episcopal Churches are in decline, is it possible to create vital, healthy and growing congregations? Yes it is, and Dean Kevin Martin will be with us to help our congregational leaders improve insight and skills in leading congregations for the New Millennium. Dean Martin has taught church leaders and consulted with congregations for over 15 years, and he is the author of two books and numerous articles on leadership and congregational development. Participants will learn:
* Why doing church the way we have always done it does not work today.
* How the culture is changing and demanding new missionary efforts from our congregations.
* What you can do as a leader to help your congregation respond to the challenges of a Post-denominational and Post-modern world.
Drawing applications from his book 5 Keys for Church Leaders, Dean Martin will give practical information on steps all leaders can take in becoming more effective leaders for today's Church.
Location of Workshop
June 1-2, St. John's, Tulsa
Friday, June 1st , 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Clergy and Program Staff
Saturday, June 2nd, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Vestry and Lay Leaders
Registration information
To register, please visit the diocesan website www.epiok.org and click on the "events tab" and scroll down to "Healthy and Growing Congregations" and click "register now."
You can also email the Assistant to the Canon to the Ordinary, Diane Ellsworth at dellsworth@epiok.org. Questions, call Diane at 405-232-4820 or 800-584-0823. |
|

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Episcopal Youth Leadership Academy (E.Y.L.A.) for the Diocese of Oklahoma. This program is open to youth grades 6 - 10. It will provide opportunities to learn to be a leader not only in your congregation, diocese and beyond but these skills will apply to school and other organizations. Go to:
http://www.epiok.org/Christian%20Formation/e-y-l-a-launches-2012-13-program.html and download a brochure!
EpiscoPosse - Tulsa
A city wide youth group for Episcopalians and their friends 6th-12th grade. This group meets weekly for worship, formation, service, and fun from 4-6pm!
May 20: Program night, Good Shepherd 4-6
MIQRA - Save the date. Next January 19-21, as we offer our first MIQRA. What is MIQRA? It is an event to youth and adults who want to participate in reading the Bible from beginning to end! That's right - three days of non-stop Bible reading - but wait! There's more! There will be games, movies, activities, quite time, and much more going on at the same time! This will be held at St. Mary's Church, Edmond. |
|
Christian Formation Resources |
|
Christian Formation Training Event Scheduled

We are pleased to offer our Diocesan Christian Formation Training Event, Celebremos la Fiesta (Let us Celebrate the Feast) on June 16 at Santa Maria Virgen Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City, OK. Each of the 12, that's right 12, workshops offered will like at feasts and/or seasons and how to make them special in our congregations. Who should attend? Anyone involved in formation (children, youth, and adult), anyone responsible for Intergenerational activities, and anyone looking for new programs to offer in your own congregations. Three of these workshops will be led by members of the Youth Commission!
Registration forms are on line and can be found by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE - there are actually 4 different sets of workshops, while the registration form only indicates 3. Please write your 4th selection in on the form. |
|
Children, Youth, and A New Kind of Christianity Workshop
This past week, I had the opportunity to attend a Christian Formation conference titled, "Children, Youth, and a New Kind of Christianity." Over 400 individuals are participating, along with many of the great thinkers and theologians of our time - Brian McLaren of emerging church fame, Tony Campolo, John Westerhouse, along with panels of people, presenters of 18 minute talks, and hour-long breakout workshops, all helping us to vision a new church. This group of people came from all across the world -New Zealand, Canada, Switzerland, and England - and covered a wide spectrum of denominations - it was held in a Baptist church which is led by a female; Mennonites, Lutherans, Methodists, and Episcopalians were all gathering together sharing. We all came with the knowledge that not one group has all the answers. And it was in the sharing with the person in the pew behind that some of the best discussions were held. We talked of what we were doing and we listened as each other shared.
Each of us in a congregation has seen the changes which have sometimes left us struggling to provide good, solid Christian Formation. In the past, we had plenty of people who committed to teaching Sunday School, most all for the entire year. That is no longer the norm. Moms who were and are the primary "teachers" are now involved in the work place and in many cases are the primary bread winner. The idea that someone would read the up-coming week's lesson and "live with it" before teaching it on the following Sunday just doesn't happen anymore. Our lives are stretched and society has moved away from the church as being the central source of entertainment and community as it once was.
While this event didn't present the only new answer, it presented many ideas that individuals involved in Christian Formation need to be discussing in your congregations. I have yet to have a change to read through my entire legal pad (front and back) of notes but as I do this, I will be sharing with you more ideas.
Here are two thoughts to consider:
- What if we had our EfM (Education for Ministry) mentors leading the junior/senior high Sunday morning programming and using current events, work through theological reflections with the group?
- What if we helped our junior/senior high children see service as something more than that which must be checked off of the list for college and helped them find their passion?
While I don't have a curriculum for either of these ideas, I wonder how we might make this a possibility?
I look forward to continuing the conversation with each of you as we look to the future of Christian Formation in this diocese |
|
New Resources
Almost Christian - What the Faith of our Teenagers is Telling the American Church
Soul Searching - The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers
War and the American Difference - Theological Reflections on Violence and National Identity
The Righteous Mind - Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion
You Lost Me. Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Faith |
|
e-Formation Learning Exchange
This is a two-day event for Christian leaders to expand their knowledge of and confidence in technology to nurture spiritual formation, learning to engage a world in continual change. It is from June 10 (3 p.m.) until June 12 (1:30) and will be held at Virginia Theological Seminary. For more information, go to www.vts.edu/icfl or call 703 461 1752. If you are interested in going but need some financial help, please contact Sabrina at the Diocesan Offices. |
|
Christian Formation in the Home
To Go - Sent home to families - from you - by e-mail from Candle Press. Connect with families who can share these resources with young children in their homes. The sets will belong to your congregation to reproduce and distribute whenever you choose. The sets contain four one-page units with a cover that families can print out on their computers - or you can print out and give to them. Families at home - at times convenient for them - use these units as a guide to explore what they believe together, how they will choose to live their lives, and how they will have fun together.
Each set has a cover and four, one-page units sent in PDF format. Send them out all at once or over a time period you choose. http://www.candlepress.com/category/56-to-go.aspx
The Meal Box from Loyola Press
The Faith 5 from Faith Inkubators
Family 'Round the Table from Logos - we have this in the resource room.
Spark Family Quarterly magazine www.augsburgfortress.org/sparkfamily
All Through the Day, All Through the Year, by David Batchelder
Celebrating Milestones with Family Traditions - www.search-institute.org. Everyday Parenting Ideas
God's Big Story - we have this in the resource room
The Blessing Cup: Prayer-Rituals for Families and Groups - we have this in the resource room |
|
Thoughtful Christian New Curriculum

Most teens feel very connected to the music they listen to, and it is important for parents to understand this connection and how music influences their teens' lives. This week's new study for parents of teens, "Exploring and Discussing Your Teen's Music," helps parents understand how music impacts their teens and suggests ways to discuss their teens' interest in music. Reflection questions are included for individuals and groups.
http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=60164bdda6e4064d943bed8b2&id=5291252236&e=203d85b4c6 |
|
LeaderResources Opens Center for Children's Ministries
The Center for Children's Ministries, a one-stop shop with many resources to help create vital programs to, for and with children and families. www.LeaderResources.org |
|
Closing Prayer for May
Loving Father and Creator of all we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation. As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made. Nature around us speaks of your greatness - the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes and streams speak of your great design. You have given us such beauty in the colors of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields. Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created. We join in praise with the writer of the psalms when he says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created. We humbly give you praise and thanks. Amen. |
|
|
Contact Information
Sabrina Evans
|
|
|