We Are Epiok.org

December 21, 2012

Issue 50

Presiding Bishop's Christmas Message 2012

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness - on them light has shined. Isaiah 9:2

These words were spoken long ago to people living in anxiety, fear, and despair, people feeling bereft of security, safety, and any sense of God's presence. We hear them early on Christmas, forgetting that they were first spoken hundreds of years before the birth we celebrate. Human beings across this planet still yearn to know that a more gracious and divine reality is active and evident in our lives.

The birth we celebrate is meant for this world mired in darkness and fear, yet it also becomes easier to discover in a tiny voice crying in protest over being cold and wet and hungry. We hear that cry in the midst of war's ravages in Congo and Afghanistan, in the rubble of hurricane and earthquake, in the demeaning of chronic poverty, behind prison bars. That flickering of hope surges as the world turns to investigate this surprising new life, one heart at a time. The light grows as hearts catch fire with the same light that illumines the stars, pulsing hope and new life, even out of black holes.

Those who search in dark and despair, in dank dungeon and deep devastation, will find divine light given for the world. Light that will not be put out, so long as any creature remains to receive it, until and beyond the end of time. The darkness will never put it out.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:5

Go and look - and discover the love of God poured into our world in human form. Hope reigns abroad, in the cosmos and in human hearts. And rejoice, for a child of the light is born in our midst!

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church

Ordination Invitation

 By the Grace of God

Ordination Invitation

 By the Grace of God

Ordination Invitation

 By the Grace of God

St. David's, OKC, Christmas Cantata

Please join St. David's Episcopal Church for their yearly Christmas Cantata this Sunday, Dec. 23rd at 2:00 p.m. This year they are singing the beautiful music of Pepper Choplin's "Lead Me Back to Bethlehem." The Christ child star will present itself to us as we pray "lead me back to Bethlehem" during the darkest of nights. All are welcome.  3333 N Meridian Ave.

Celebration of 50 Years or More of Marriage

St. Mary's, Edmond honored couples who had been married for 50 years or more on December 9.  Several couples exceeded 60 years.  One couple, Doyle and Bettie Nicholson will celebrate 70 years of marriage early next year. 

Grants to Mobile Meals Providers Help Deliver Food, Companionship

Oklahoma City Community Foundation awards grants to three Episcopal churches in Oklahoma County

Just in time for the holidays, Oklahoma City Community Foundation Trustees awarded $25,200 in grants to 54 churches that provide meals to homebound elderly through Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County, as well as a $2,500 grant to Edmond Mobile Meals. In addition to delivering warm meals to individuals in need, Mobile Meals volunteers also provide much needed companionship for many Oklahomans.

The 54 churches receiving the grants provide anywhere from one to five meals each week per recipient. The grant amounts range from $200 to $1,000 based on the number of meals provided by each site. The grants will help providers offset the cost of food and transportation.

"Mobile Meals is a vital service for homebound individuals in our community," says Nancy B. Anthony, president of the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. "In addition to providing warm meals, the personal contact by caring volunteers is also very important to many of those served through the program."

Grants were awarded to the following Episcopal churches that provide meals through Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County:

All Souls Episcopal Church

Episcopal Church of the Resurrection

St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral

Founded in 1969, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation works with donors to create charitable funds that will benefit our community both now and in the future. For more information, visit www.occf.org.

Christmas Celebrations at St. Mary's Episcopal School

Fifth graders, Kalli Launhardt and David Turner, playing the role of Mary and Joseph, made their way down the hallway of classrooms, knocking on each door and seeking lodging for the impending birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

The traditional celebration of Las Posadas at St. Mary's Episcopal School, is totally recited in Spanish, and organized by Senora Massar, the school's Spanish teacher.  The celebration is a Mexican Christmas tradition that recreates the search for lodging by Mary and Joseph, or in this case, Maria and Jose.

As the travelers were turned away by the innkeepers, students from each classroom then joined the procession, carrying tissue-paper poinsettias, an important part of the Las Posadas tradition.  When they reached the chapel, it was the school's first-graders who finally welcome Maria and Jose, giving them a place to stay where their baby could be born.

 "With each year of age, it seems easiest for us to get further from the truth.  There are more distractions:  more things we want, more things to do, and less time to really think about preparing our hearts for Jesus," the narrator recited, followed by readings from the Book of Luke, 2: 1-7.

The program ended with the singing of Silent Night and the Lord's Prayer, all in Spanish.

Help Us Get the News Out 

As we get to the end of the year, many congregations will up-date their rosters. If your congregation includes e-mails in the list, please send a copy of your new roster to us at the Diocese. Without your help, we aren't able to keep the most current list and will have to depend on you to get the information out!

Thanks for your help.

Spirituality and Practice E-Courses 

  

January 6 - 26

Cultivating Contentment -  is a 21-day program of spiritual wisdom on being content with who you are and where you are in your life, a path that embraces gratitude, equanimity, being present, and freedom from wanting. Daily emails draw from the writings 

of spiritual teachers of different traditions. Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat then offer suggestions for reflection, discussion, and practice designed to encourage you to apply this wisdom in your life. Share experiences on the path to contentment with other participants in the online Practice Circle. $31.00. 

January 7 - February 1

Choosing to Love with Br. David Steindl-Rast - is an Online Retreat on one of three Divine Virtues: love, which Br. David Steindl-Rast defines as the choice to say yes to what life brings us. Subscribers are able to view film footage from Br. David Steindl-Rast's talks during an Alaska cruise in 2011. Using poetry and insights born from years of contemplation and compassionate action, he explores how any profound experience of belonging feeds us intellectually, emotionally, and morally. Study questions for the talks are delivered in emails three times a week. Participants are then invited to share their reflections on love with a worldwide community posting comments to an online Practice Circle. $49.95. 

January 27 - February 16

Working with Worry -  is a 21-part program presenting teachings from different spiritual traditions about the roots of and lessons to be learned from worry. We are encouraged to work through worry instead of running away from it or trying to get rid of it altogether. Daily emails prepared by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat include book excerpts plus suggestions for reflection, discussion, and practice. Gather with other recovering worriers in the online Practice Circle to trade stories and tips. $31.00. 

 

Safeguarding God's Children

Safeguarding God's People - Train the  Trainer Event

Oklahoma Episcopal Youth Events 

MIQRA

REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR THIS EVENT! Get a registration form here! 

Our Miqra is to be offered January 19 - 21, at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, 

Edmond. We actually begin on Friday (the 18th) morning, with the help of volunteers - college students, youth ministers, and other volunteers - and the reading begins.

The event officially begins on Saturday (the 19st) at noon. Everyone who comes will have an opportunity to sign up to read scripture, but it is not mandatory that you read. Reading slots are 1 hour in length and a maximum of three can sign up for a particular hour. 

Now, while the reading is going on in the nave, we are offering all types of workshops for the participants. They will have "tribe time" in which they will engage in discussions or activities. We will have games, movies, crafts, and of course, food.

We will end on Monday morning at 9:30 with a closing worship service. We will read the final chapter of Revelation together as a group at our closing worship.

Adults - we need lots of help for this. You don't have to be involved in Youth Ministry to participate. Volunteer to be a tribe leader, reader, provide snacks, or even lead a workshop!

This promises to be one of the best events we have ever offered!

Important Dates for Youth - Diocese of OK

Miqra - January 19 - 21 - St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Edmond. Send in your registrations now!

New Beginnings - 6th - 9th graders - February 2 - 3, 2013, at St. Crispin's - Registrations have been mailed out but you can find the brochure on the web at: http://www.epiok.org/Christian%20Formation/new-beginnings.html 

Mission Camp - March 18 - 22, 2013. Information coming in next Newsletter issue!

Summer Camp Spring Training, March 22nd-24th, at St. Crispin's. For anyone who is chosen as Summer Staff or Counselors in Training, this is a mandatory training event.

Province VII Mission Week in Dallas - July 8 - 13. Arriving on Monday, Mission Service will be Tuesday - Friday, with a closing service on Friday night. Mission service can be with children, the elderly, in food (food bank, soup kitchen, etc.) or the environment.Then, Saturday morning - 6 Flags! Back to OK Saturday night. More information coming soon. 

Happening - 10th - 12th graders - August 2 - 4, All Souls' Episcopal Church, OKC.

Celebrate the New Year Family-Style by Assembling a Time Capsule!

Creating a Family Time Capsule is not only a fun, no-cost project for a special day, but it doubles as an exciting surprise when opened a year later.

Salvage a box from the Christmas aftermath.  Let the kids go crazy with markers and stickers to personalize it.  After each member of the family adds something(s) to the time capsule,  seal it and stuff it in a corner of the basement or a closet for a year.  Next year open the time capsule and discover forgotten treasures and memorable moments!

Anything reminiscent of the current year will work just fine!  A few ideas:

• a favorite pair of kid jeans that are now a bit short
• the shoes they wore until there were holes in them
• this year's Christmas letter and photo
• a small toy they can part with for a year
• a list of antics and current kidisms written by mom and dad
• school portraits
• other candid photos
• current kid drawings and craft projects
• a written survey of each child's current likes and dislikes

Resources for Tragedy

Once again, we are placed in a situation where tragedy has struck at our hearts - our children. Below are various resources that might serve to help in this time of grief:

From Fred Rogers  http://fci.org/new-site/par-tragic-events.html 

From LeaderResources - http://tiny.cc/lvokpw

http://episcoyouthministry.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/tragedy-prayers-guidelines-and-resources/

http://www.er-d.org/Prayers-for-Victims-of-CT-Shooting-Dec-2012

http://www.aacap.org/galleries/default-file/TipsforTalkingtoChildrenabouttheSchoolShooting.pdf

Another Tragedy: http://www.buildfaith.org/2012/12/15/another-tragedy/

Books for Help and Healing:

http://www.buildfaith.org/2012/12/18/books-for-help-and-healing/

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