Coming Soon To the Diocese:

Lenten Studies- February 22- March 17, 2010- St. John's, Fayetteville, St. Peter's Washington, and St. Stephen's, Goldsboro. Clergy, lay people and members of the wider Christian community are invited to participate in the shared spiritual experience of Lent through study, prayer and engagement of each other in our personal faith journey. Lenten Schedule.

Pathways to a Greener Planet- February 26, 2010- Church of the Servant, Wilmington. Learn about the scriptural and ecological imperatives to protect the Earth. More information.

New Beginnings- March 5-7, 2010- Trinity Center, Salter Path. This retreat, for youth in grades 6th-8th, covers topics such as "Who is Jesus," and "Peer Pressure." Youth learn from other youth, and make friends from all across the diocese. Deadline for registration is February 21, 2010. Event information and registration.

Breathe.See.Nourish.Energize.- March 20, 2010- St. James, Wilmington. Blend interest in spirituality and health with examples set by Jesus in this Saturday morning retreat. More about the retreat.

Acolyte Festival- April 17th, 2010- St. Andrews by the Sea, Nags Head. "Acolytes are not just little kids! It's a wonderful ministry in our churches," said Debbie Luke. More festival information.

Freedom Ride 2010- July 9-18, 2010- Starts in Wilmington, and will end at the Haw River State Park outside of Greensboro, NC. Youth will retrace history in order to seek God's presence within themselves and humankind. Deadline to submit applications for this event is March 1, 2010. Freedom Ride Application and Information.

More Information
Check the following links to get more information about the things you see in this newsletter.

Diocesan News

127th Diocesan Convention Recap

Acolyte Festival

New Beginnings

Pathways to a Greener Planet

Lenten Studies

Freedom Ride

Soles4Souls

Lenten Commentaries
From the news stacks located on the Communication Officer's Desk
The Diocese is very blessed to have within its borders a large number of gifted priests with excellent writing abilities. In reading the newsletters put out each month by most parishes, it always thrills me to see that many priests take the time to put in thoughtful essays that evoke feeling and actions from the parish. This is especially true right before a major season begins. This year's upcoming Lenten season was no exception. Many priests chose to send out beautiful and interesting articles to their parishes. These pieces range from stories of childhood, to explanations of traditions, to historical trivia, to calls to action, and many contain all of these aspects in one piece! I learn so much from these writings.

From The Rev. Mary Francis Curns, I learned about Shrove Tuesday. Historically, this day was used to clean out root cellars and smoke houses to use food before it would go bad.

The Rev. Tom Wilson's comparison of Deus ex machina (God in the Machine), to the God we know today, was a thoughtful look at how to live with God every day. I especially respected his line, "Our God is not the God of the Machine who hangs suspended from the proscenium arch in fairy Godmother disguise, but the God of Incarnation who enters into daily lives and walks with us, one step at a time."

And one of the most moving calls to action that I read was from The Rev. Brent Melton. Here is what he wrote:

"As we enter Lenten Season, instead of worrying about giving something up, I ask you to join me in considering instead a balanced discipline. Seek better balance in your life in these three areas: intellectually, physically, and spiritually. How are you feeding your mind, body and soul? Evaluate your life within these three areas and try to better balance them in your life. Our secular world does not encourage us to take care of ourselves. So for the six weeks of Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, take on a balanced life discipline."

To the priests of the Diocese, I say, keep writing. And to everyone, if you are not reading your monthly parish newsletter, now is the best time to start.

This year, Lent begins on Wednesday, February 17. Bishop Daniel and Bishop Marray will be participating in Lenten Studies. Click here to found out more about the studies.

127th Diocesan Convention Recap
Soles4Souls, Reconciliation, and Business
The Diocese of East Carolina just wrapped up its 127th Diocesan Convention. This convention, with the theme, "Reconciliation: A Future with Forgiveness" examined social wrongdoings and searched for ways to become a more welcoming place for everyone.

News, adopted resolutions, photos, voting results, videos, and audio podcasts are now available online. You can find this information at:

www.diocese-eastcarolina/2010conventioncoverage

Youths' Increasing Liveliness
Growing Activities in the Diocese
Diocesan youth events in the past year have not gotten a lot of attention, but with a new year comes a new energy for the youth, and activities are on the rise. This spring and summer, youth will have to opportunity to hone their acolyte skills, study with other youth, and examine the history of discrimination within North Carolina.

Be sure to look into these events to find opportunities for the youth in your area.

New Beginnings is a program perfect for middle schoolers which groups them with other youth to address topics of importance in their lives. (more information here)

The First Annual North Carolina Acolyte Festival will attract youth and adults from the entire state to learn more about the art of the acolyte. (more information here)

And the Freedom Ride 2010 will be a unique opportunity for students to contemplate the impact of segregation and racism. (more information here)

...And the Great News!
The pile of shoes created in the corner of the Grand Ballroom at the Convention Center in New Bern, North Carolina, was massive. The Millennium Development Goals Committee, along with participants of the Diocesan Convention collected over 870 pairs of shoes to go to the non-profit organization Soles4souls. With approximately 375 attendees at Convention, that’s over 2 pairs per person!

Shoes donated during the convention will go to the relief efforts in Haiti.

To find out more about Soles4Souls, visit their website at: www.soles4souls.org.