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Eastertide Area Confirmations
In the early centuries of the Church, congregations would gather together at Easter for the rite of initiation administered by the bishop. There was something - there is something - about sharing those significant and transformative moments with the rest of the Church.
As such, we offer opportunities in multiple locations around the diocese to celebrate together the rites of Holy Baptism and Confirmation, Reception or Reaffirmation. The renewal of our commitment as followers of Jesus is no small thing. "Renew in these your servants the covenant you made with them at their Baptism," the bishop prays. "Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perfrom the service you set before them....Let your Holy Spirit be with them; and so lead them in the knowledge and obedience of your Word, that they may serve you in this life, and dwell with you in the life to come; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
2015 dates
Saturday, April 18: Christ Church, Dayton; 11 a.m.
Saturday, April 25: Good Shepherd, Athens; 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 2: St. Anne's, West Chester; 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 16: St. Stephen's, Columbus; 11 a.m.
We hope this Easter season that many throughout the diocese will take advantage of these opportunities to be blessed by one another's presence and support that extend beyond our own local communities of faith.
Please use the online registration form if you plan to present people from your congregation or community of faith for Baptism, Confirmation, Reception or Reaffirmation at one of the Eastertide Area Confirmations. Registrations should be submitted two weeks prior to the date of the celebration so host congregations may plan appropriately.
For questions or for more information, contact Amanda Bower, Executive Assistant to Bishop Breidenthal at abower@diosohio.org or 800.582.1712 ext. 103.
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Announcing Procter Farm's 2015 CSA
 What is a CSA?
CSA (community supported agriculture) is a particular network or association of individuals who have pledged to support one or more local farms, with growers and consumers sharing the risks and benefits of food production. CSA members pay at the onset of the growing season for a share of the anticipated harvest; once harvesting begins, they receive weekly shares of vegetables.
How can I get involved?
Procter Farm is selling subscriptions for $300. We will begin distributing in June and continue for 20 weeks (minimum average $15/week value). Shares will feed 2-3 people, so go in on one with your buddy if that's too much for just you.
We are also looking for people who want to be involved in our 'Volunteer for Veggies' program. If you commit to working on the farm for a total of 40 hours throughout the growing season (Now - October), you will receive your weekly share for free. Time for one share can be split between multiple people. Sign up soon, only 3 spots left!
What can I expect in my share?
This year we will be planting beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, sweet corn, cucumber, eggplant, garlic, green beans, peppers, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, potatoes, pumpkins, melons, radishes, scallions, spinach, summer squash, swiss chard, tomatoes, watermelons, winter squash, zucchini, fresh herbs, and more.
Where can I pick up my share?
We will have three pickup locations:
- North Market, 59 Spruce St. Columbus 43215 Saturdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Procter Center, 11235 SR 38 London 43140 Tuesdays 12 to 7 p.m.
- Gabriel's Place 3618 Reading Rd Cincinnati 45229Thursdays 4-7 p.m.
How do I sign up?
Visit https://diosohio.wufoo.com/forms/procter-csa-2015/ to subscribe. You will have the options of paying by credit card online, by credit card over the phone, or by check. For more info contact
procterfarm@diosohio.org.
Eat well!
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Scholarship applications now accepted for Episcopal Church grants
Applications are now being accepted for the 2015-2016 awarding of educational scholarships from The Episcopal Church, according to Samuel A. McDonald, Director of Mission/Deputy Chief Operating Officer and convener of the Scholarship Committee. "As a result of bequests, The Episcopal Church makes available a modest number of scholarships that assist students primarily enrolled in theological education and training," explained Margareth Crosnier de Bellaistre, Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society Director of Investment Management and Banking "Funding for the program is derived from annual income of designated trust funds established by generous donors." Scholarships are available for ethnic communities, children of missionaries, bishops and clergy, and other particular wide-ranging eligibility for education and training. The amounts of the scholarships vary according to the availability of payouts from the funds. The maximum is $5000. The lists of trust funds and scholarships as well as key information can be found at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/episcopal-church-scholarships Applicants are strongly encouraged to read each trust and identify in the application those trust funds that best fit their own profile.Requirements for applying for the scholarships include: the applicant must be an Episcopalian and must have the endorsement of his/her bishop. Application form is available here. Except in extraordinary circumstances, students should complete the online application. Applications are reviewed by a scholarship committee which includes staff of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society: the Director of Mission, the Director of Human Resources Management, representatives of various ministries, and the Treasurer's office. Deadline for applications is April 30. Only complete applications will be considered. For information, contact Ann Hercules, Associate for Grants and Scholarships for the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, ahercules@episcopalchurch.org. |
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Vaccination Policy for General Convention Children's Program 2015
The following is a true copy of a Resolution adopted by the Executive Council at its meeting from March 19-21, 2015 at which a quorum was present and voting.
Resolved, That the Executive Council, meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah from March 19-21, 2015, adopts the following policies with respect to the General Convention Children's Program: All children and staff participating in the Program must be vaccinated in accordance with the following schedule as deemed by physician appropriate by age: 
Diphtheria   Polio  Tetanus Haemophilus Influenza Type b Pertussis Hepatitis A Measles Hepatitis B Mumps Pneumococcal Rubella  Varicella (chickenpox) 
A child may be exempted from this vaccination requirement by presenting a certificate from a licensed physician to the Staff stating that due to the physical condition of the student one or more specified immunizations would endanger the student's life or health; and be it further
Resolved, That the staff of the General Convention Children's Program, working with the General Convention Office, verify the immunization records of all children and staff for the safety of all involved in the program; and be it further 
Resolved, That the General Convention Children's Program will comply with at least all applicable minimum requirements of Utah State Law with respect to such requirements.
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Music series at St. John's features award winning organist Kirk M. Rich
St. John's Worthington, invites you to hear prize-winning organist Kirk M. Rich on Sunday, April 19, at 3 p.m.
![Kirk M. Rich]](http://files.ctctcdn.com/ab72f717be/434e4a85-cda9-428a-977e-c3b7e4a21976.jpg?a=1120586675333)
Rich is quickly becoming known as a solo and collaborative artist of integrity, praised for his technical command of the organ and breadth of musical imagination. He was featured in recital as a "Rising Star" at the 2008 American Guild of Organists National Convention in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, and in 2014, he won third prize in the AGO's National Young Artists' Competition in Organ Performance. Most recently, he is the winner of the 2015 William C. Hall Pipe Organ Competition. His program for St. John's will include works of Bach, Brahms, Dupré, Stanley, and Vierne.
Rich holds degrees from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music; he is currently pursuing a DMA at the University of Houston. There is no charge for admission to the concert; a freewill offering will be taken to support the Music Series.
St. John's is located at 700 High Street in Worthington (Columbus), on the southeast corner of the Olde Worthington Village Green (High Street at SR 161). Visit www.StJohnsWorthington.org for more information.
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| Offerings from Christ Church Cathedral |
Shifrah Service
 On Sunday, April 19, at 6 p.m., Shifrah begins its first season: Exodus.
Shifrah is a deep and rich multi-sensory worship experience that integrates music, images, textures, found objects, light, movement and prayer to draw from the well of ancient worship while at the same time looking forward to what the Spirit is doing anew in our midst. The first Season of Shifrah, called Exodus, will open up the experience of resurrection in the encounter with the stranger who reminds us of our own story and reveals himself in the sharing of a meal.
If you have any questions or would like to be a part of the Shifrah team, please email Canon Rob Rhodes
Earlham College Choir Concert
Wednesday, April 8, 7 p.m.
William Culverhouse & Danielle Steele, directors
 The choral music ensembles at Earlham College are known for their focus on international repertoire and music by living composers. They regularly perform not only the great masterworks of the American and European repertoires,but also pieces from Africa and the Middle East, and have recently presented the world premieres of Forrest Tobey's Keeping Still and David Arbury's Trade Winds.
This concert will feature the Earlham College Women's Chorus, Men's Ensemble and Madrigal Singers performing a delightful selection of choral pieces from around the world. Please plan on joining us for this free offering!
Gallery South exhibit opens April 23
Join us on Thursday, April 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for the opening reception to support the next art exhibit to be featured in Gallery South, the aptly named, "Spirit of Place." This installation will feature regional artist contributions, and will run through June 12.
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| Presiding Bishop's Easter Message 2015 |
"The only place we will not find him is in the tomb."
It's still dark when Mary ventures out to find the tomb. The graveyards around Jerusalem don't have much greenery today. The earth is mostly rock and stone, and it is far from easy to make a place to secure a body. Jesus' body was put in a cave-like space, with a stone rolled across the opening to close it up. Mary has made the journey from wherever she's sheltered over the last day, through darkened streets, perhaps hearing cocks begin to crow and townspeople start to stir.
She nears the place, but somehow it seems different than they left it - this can't be it, can it? Who moved the stone? A trip begun in tears and grief now has added burden- confusion, anger, shock, chaos, abandonment. His very body has been stolen.
She runs to tell the others. The three tear back to the tomb - no, the body is not there, though some of the burial cloths remain. Who has torn away the shroud and stolen him away? Why must the cruel torture continue, sacrilege and insult even after death? Who has done this awful thing? The men run away again, leaving her to weep at even greater loss.
She peers in once more - who are these, so bold appearing? "Fear not, woman... why do you weep?" She turns away and meets another, who says the same - why do you weep, who are you looking for? This gardener has himself been planted and now springs up green and vibrant, still rising into greater life. He challenges her to go and share that rising, great news of green and life, with those who have fled.
Still rising, still seeking union with Creator, making tender offering to beloved friends - briefly I am with you, I am on my way. Go and you will find me if you look.
The risen one still offers life to those who will look for evidence of his gardening - hope, friendship, healing, reunion, restoration - to all who have been uprooted, cut off, to those who are parched and withered, to those who lie wasting in the desert. Why do we weep or run away when that promise abides?
We can find that green one, still rising, if we will go stand with the grieving Marys of this world, if we will draw out the terrified who have retreated to their holes, if we will walk the Emmaus road with the lost and confused, if we will search out the hungry in the neighborhood called Galilee. We will find him already there before us, bringing new and verdant life. The only place we will not find him is in the tomb.
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
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Amazing justice training opportunities
Over the next few months, the Ohio Organizing Collaborative will have amazing justice training opportunities for AMOS and Ohio Prophetic Voices leaders and clergy.
Coming up in early May is a training titled "Unleashing Clergy for Prophetic Leadership." We will wrestle with how clergy can be prophetic justice leaders during these times of economic insecurity and big questions around whose lives really matter. We will also work on how we can bring the best of our faith and sacred texts to shape our congregations and move more powerfully for justice in the public arena. Featured trainers include Rev. Damon Lynch III from New Prospect Baptist Church in Cincinnati, Rev. Christopher McKee from Tabernacle Baptist Church in Youngstown, Doran Schrantz who serves as Executive Director of Isaiah in Minnesota, and renowned author and scholar Dr. Walter Brueggemann.
This training is designed specifically for clergy serving and leading in a congregational setting. Here is the registration link: Clergy Leadership Training or http://action.ohorganizing.org/page/s/prophetic-leadership-training. If you have logistical questions, you can contact Sue Budd at sbudd@piconetwork.org.
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Call for Nominations to the Society of St. Simeon & St. Anna - Class of 2015
 The Affirmative Aging Commission, which coordinates the annual meeting of the Simeon & Anna Society here in the diocese of Southern Ohio is seeking nominations for the Class of 2015. We are seeking 12 nominees from around the diocese. Any congregation in the diocese is encouraged to nominate one individual or couple, but congregations who have presented nominees in the past two years should not forward any nominees this year in order to assure that nominees cover a diverse geographic area.
Nominees will be inducted into the Simeon & Anna Society on Wednesday, April 29 at the Procter Center. That day begins with the Holy Eucharist in Christ Chapel at 11 a.m. with Bishop Breidenthal presiding and preaching. The induction ceremony takes place immediately after the service in the Chapel and is followed by a gala lunch in the Procter dining room, with the bishop and diocesan staff serving the tables.
Nominations (and supporting documents) should be mailed or (preferably) emailed to the Rev. Bruce Smith, Chair of the Affirmative Aging Commission no later than March 31. Nominees will be notified in writing by the Commission of their admission into the society sometime during the second week of April. The newly inducted members of the Simeon & Anna society and their immediate family members will be the guests of the Affirmative Aging Commission at the luncheon. For all other folks attending such as friends and fellow parishioners, there will be a modest $10 fee for lunch.
Needless to say, we hope that all new members of the Class of 2015 will attend the event, but will understand if that is not possible. We do expect the clergy of the congregation and/or at least one person (hopefully more) to attend the event in support of the new member of the Society from their congregation.
The link below gives you more information about the Simeon & Anna Society and criteria for nomination, as well as links to the nomination forms and a list of current members of the Society.
http://diosohio.org/congregations-2/generational-ministry/affirmative-aging/
Nominations should be sent to:
The Rev. Bruce Smith
Chair, Affirmative Aging Commission
627 Yaronia Dr. N
Columbus, OH 43214
Email: revabs@wowway.com
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Campus Ministry grants available
Parishes, campus ministries, and extra-parish communities are invited to apply for campus ministry grants. Grant requests are due on June 15, and grants for the 2015-2016 school year will be rewarded by August 1. Please follow this link to apply for a grant using our online form:
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Scholarships available for women of the diocese
Since the late 1920s, The Episcopal Church Women (ECW) Book of Remembrance Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Diocese of Southern Ohio has been providing scholarships for women of the diocese to do graduate study in areas related to church work, special ministries, and helping professions. Funds are also available for short-term non-degree training in workshops, special seminars, and skills training, in church related or social service fields.
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Academic grants for minority women
The Lawrence Home Association, founded in 1896 under the will of philanthropist Eleanor Earnshaw, was started to "provide a Christian home for self-supporting, young women on limited means, the most important aim being to help them elevate their standard of life." To this day, the Lawrence Home Association provides opportunities for young women.
There is a eight-member board of women who are appointed by the the bishop. The board meets once a year to vote on recommendations for academic grants for minority women, scholarships for clergy daughters and funding for social service agencies who mission is to serve women of limited means and help them move out of conditions relating to poverty, abuse etc.
The purpose of the Academic Grant for Minority Women program is to help finance the postsecondary education of minority women regardless of age who are affiliated with an Episcopal church within the Diocese of Southern Ohio.
We have moved the application process online this year to make it easier to apply and to provide an opportunity for all minority women within the diocese to seek grant for the upcoming academic year.
See more information
The deadline for applications is April 15, 2015. All applicants will be notified by May 30, 2015 of the status of their application.
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PLAY Conference: Finding God in Celebration
Play opens us up to joy, new possibilities, and creativity. What might happen if the church took up PLAY as a spiritual practice? What if we played together and imagined a new church into being?
PLAY is a gathering of people interested in in celebrating creative ways to engage God's mission in our communities. PLAY will offer ideas for fostering imagination and creativity, planning non-traditional worship, missional church planting, and how to gather community in new ways through radical hospitality, storytelling and inspiring music. The Rev. Ben Norton, a pioneer minister in the Church of England, will share his experiences creating three different fresh expressions of church in the last 10 years in the UK. Ben invites us on a journey to meet people and connect the Christian story to the story of people outside of the church and to gently grow spiritual communities in the process. Ana Hernandez, musician, conversation host and mischief maker, will lead us in music that makes community. PLAY explores how we give each other permission to imagine a new way forward together and an opportunity to reinvigorate your soul and your church.
If you are interested in learning more about fresh expressions, being part of some inspiring worship, or just want to have fun, you won't want to miss this gathering. PLAY is for everyone, young and old, musicians and artists, lay and ordained, people who love the church and those who don't. We invite you and members of your community to join us for this experience! Don't miss this opportunity to PLAY! More info: http://praxiscommunities.org/conferences/play/
Early bird registration ends April 1! After April 1, the cost for PLAY conference registration increases to $55 (and lunch is subject to availability) so register today! Deadline for all registrations is April 14.
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Last Things: Program explores death and burial planning
Procter Conference Center
Saturday, April 18
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Woody Allen once quipped, "It's not that I'm afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens."
Many of us feel the same way. Even so, the Church encourages us to grapple with the reality of our "last things." There's good reason for this: the time of death is always a crisis. For each one of us who lives on, the death of those we care for is (to one degree or another) a painful and traumatic experience. It's an event that changes the landscape of our lives, for the rest of our lives.
And yet, despite its inevitability, we tend to come to death not only suffering from natural grief, but unprepared. The crisis, then, deepens and becomes even more painful as we are forced to do what we don't want to do, and to make decisions for which we have not planned. The spiritual, emotional and financial repercussions can be immense.
The time to think and talk with one another about death is now - instead of waiting for the moment of crisis. Such preplanning is a prudent and loving act that yields a multitude of blessings - now, and
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| | The Rev. Charlie Brumbaugh |
in the hour of our death.
The Affirmative Aging Commission invites you - whether you are nineteen or ninety-nine - to join the Rev. Charlie Brumbaugh at the Procter Center for Last Things, an exploration of these issues on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost of $15 per person covers the whole program and lunch. Please register by April 4 at www.diosohio.org.
There will be much to learn and many stories to tell as we consider Christian perspectives on death, grief, burial practices, rites of burial and stewardship in death. It's our hope that by the time you drive home, you'll be well on your way to making wise and loving decisions about what is to happen upon your death. We are confident that you'll find this seminar not only informative and useful, but also thought-provoking and, yes, even fun!
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Planning for Tomorrow Conference
Lay Employees: Thursday, April 30, 2015
Clergy: Friday, May 1, 2015
The Planning for Tomorrow conference sponsored by the Church Pension Group (CPG) is a great opportunity for both clergy and lay to learn and plan for their financial future. Spouses and partners are also encouraged to attend. CPG subsidizes the cost of the conference - and also subsidizes child care and elder care costs.
We strongly encourage lay employees to attend this conference and we strongly encourage that they be granted paid time off to attend. Diocesan House will be closed on April 30 so that all lay employees will be able to attend the conference.
No matter your stage of life, it's a unique chance for you and your spouse or partner to understand your current and future benefits, manage your finances, plan for your future, and improve your overall financial wellness.
To register:
Lay employees register here
Clergy register here
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The 13th amendment and mass incarceration
 Marking the 150th anniversary of the 13th amendment which banned slavery, Cincinnati's Metropolitan Area Religious Coalition is facilitating a discussion April 8 of the amendment, the almost century-long persistence of involuntary servitude afterwards and its implications for public policy today in the light of mass incarceration. All are welcome. Please view the PBS documentary "Slavery by Another Name" before the workshop in preparation for small group discussion following a short introduction on the 13th Amendment by David Beran, former Hamilton County Administrator for Corrections (1979-1993) and Board Chair of Lane Seminary. Participants, aided by trained MARCC facilitators, will discuss the documentary and make recommendations to be forwarded to policy makers. The April 8 meeting will be at St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, 325 W. 8th St, Cincinnati, in the Synod Room. There is ample parking on 9th Street and Central Avenue with meters that accept credit cards. MARCC is Cincinnati's interfaith social justice coalition. This summit addresses interfaith dialogue/human rights, one of MARCC's two 2015 priorities. *To view the documentary, go to pbs.org In the search box on the upper right, type in "Slavery by Another Name." Scroll down to "Slavery Full Program" and click on title. You will get a screen with "Slavery by Another Name" and a play arrow pointing to the right.
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Communications Coordinator
St. Thomas, Terrace Park seeks a part-time communications coordinator. The Communications Coordinator has two main responsibilities: 1.) communication within the parish, and 2.) public relations to the larger community; both being formed by our core purpose: To make God's love known by who we are, what we practice and how we serve others in Christ's Name. As a member of the program staff team, the incumbent collaborates with the clergy, staff and volunteers in developing, administering and evaluating the different means of communications and designs the various publications as specified and planned. The incumbent must have experience / background in various verbal, written and graphic communication skills, such as creative writing, public speaking, editing, desktop publishing, production coordination, and digital design, including photography and video.
Choral Scholar
St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Terrace Park, Ohio is seeking a professional singer to supplement the Parish Choir and act as alto soloist when called upon. Typical time commitment involves being present at Wednesday Evening rehearsals (7-9pm) and Sunday morning services (10:45am with preceding rehearsal). Position commences immediately and lasts for the duration of this program year (May 2015). See more
Director of Christian Education
Christ Episcopal Church, Springfield, seeks a person to serve in a half-time position as Director of Christian Education and Coordinator of Outreach Ministries. See more
Administrative Assistant
St. Alban's, Bexley, is currently seeking a full-time administrative assistant at 40 hours per week to work with us in our ministry. Helpful traits are a gracious ability to interact with visitors and guests, a love of service, and a friendly, warm demeanor. Candidates must have a working knowledge of basic Office computer software including Outlook, Word, and Excel. We also use Publisher, Constant Contact, Google Drive, and a Web site application. See more
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Didn't see any news about your congregation here? Submit your news! The deadline for each weekly e-Connections is every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m.
The deadline for Connections, the bi-monthy publication of the diocese, is every other month on the last day of the month:
Jan 31 (Feb/Mar issue)
Mar 31 (Apr/May)
May 31 (Jun/Jul)
July 31 (Aug/Sep)
Sept 30* (Oct/Nov)
Nov 30 (Dec/Jan)
*convention issue. Deadline may be changed in order to have all convention materials available for pre-convention meetings.
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