Episcopal Diocese of Montana

April 13th, 2012

New Priests:

• The Rev. Doug Lasiter (from the Diocese of Texas), Emmanuel, Miles City & Ascension, Forsyth.
• The Rev. Louise Baker (from the Diocese of West Missouri), St. Patrick's, Bigfork.
• The Rev. Keith Axberg (from the Diocese of San Joaquin), Trinity, Ennis & St. Paul's, Virginia City.

Church News:

The two congregations in Butte, St. Mary's and St. John's, will meet at the same time at St. John's building beginning April 22.

St. Andrew's, Polson, has just completed phone interviews with possible candidates for Rector.

Seminarians:

The Rev. Mary Julia Jett was recently ordained deacon by the Bishop at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in New York City; this congregation is her field work assignment. She is now enrolled in the transitional deacon formation program of the diocese.

Ms. Lea Colvill, aspirant for the priesthood, will begin seminary at the School of Theology, University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, this fall.

Schedule:

April 17, Foundation Board meets.

April 19-21, Ministry Skills Workshop, St. James', Bozeman.

April 24-26, Clergy Conference, Camp Marshall.

April 28, Diocesan Council meets at the Cathedral.

May 4-5, Deacon Formation School.

June 2, Chairs of diocesan committees, budget hearings.

June 4-16, staff training at Camp Marshall.

June 17-22, Grace Camp, Camp Marshall.

June 24-30, Junior-Middler Camp.

June 30, Diocesan Council.

July 5-12, the 77th General Convention of The Episcopal Church, Indianapolis, Indiana.

More about the General Convention:

The leader of the deputation is Ms. Sandy Williams (St. Andrew's, Livingston). Other lay deputies are: Ms. Cynthia Benkelman (All Saints', Columbia Falls), Ms. Samar Fay (St. Matthew's, Glasgow), and Dr. Pru Randall (Holy Spirit, Missoula).

The clerical deputies are: the Rev. Robyn Barnes (Nativity, Helena), the Rev. Mike Fay (St. Matthew's, Glasgow), the Rev. Linda McCloud (Holy Cross, Billings), and the Rev. Bradley Wirth (All Saints', Columbia Falls).

Bishop Brookhart will attend, and is serving as co-chair of the Legislative Committee on Ecumenism.

Camp Marshall's summer camps commence in June. For descriptions and registration, use the diocesan web site http://episcopalcampmt.org/.

The annual Clergy Conference convenes April 24 at Camp Marshall. The speaker this year is the Very Rev. Kevin Martin, Dean of the Cathedral of St. Matthew, Dallas, Texas. He is a highly regarded expert on leadership and evangelism.

More about the Ministry Skills Workshop 2:

This important event is being hosted by St. James' Church, Bozeman, beginning Friday evening May 19 and ending the afternoon of the next day.

The keynote speaker is the Rev. Canon Steve Wendfeldt, who will lead a workshop entitled "Being a Welcoming Church."

In addition, the spring Youth Gathering is concurrent with the workshop.

On Saturday other workshops will be offered: Godly Play training, audit training, empowering church for social outreach, and exploring the diaconate.

This will be a rich and important event. Attend! Register on the diocesan website.

Recommended Reading:

      Kevin Martin. Five Keys for Church Leaders. The title says it.

      Rob Bell. Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, And The Fate Of Every Person Who Ever Lived. An invigorating analysis of the ultimate victory of God's love.

      Tim Keller. The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. A powerful argument for the existence of God.