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Save the Date
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August 15 - 17
EFM Mentor Training
St. Crispin's
September 7
Annual Oakerhater Honor Dance
1 p.m - until
Whirlwind Mission of the Holy Family
Contact The Rev. Jim Kee-Rees for details jkeerees@epiok.org
76th Diocesan Convention of
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
October 31 - November 2, 2013
Hosted by St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church
Convention Location: Doubletree, Tulsa
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New Web Sites and Links
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Kevin Martin, Diocesan Congregational Development Officer's Blog
www.kevinoncong.blogspot.com
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Companion
Diocese
Uruguay
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Bishop Pollesel
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/
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The Next Issue of this Newsletter will be on Friday,
August 9, 2013.
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We Are Epiok.org
August 2, 2013
Issue 29
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 News, Events, and Offerings |
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OKC Godly Play Training Complete
 | | Joyce Spurgin works with one of the Desert Box lessons |
This past Friday - Sunday was packed full of the mystery of presentations with Godly Play and many wondering questions! As our trainer, Anne Spradley, walked the participants through the three genre of Godly Play stories (Sacred Stories, Parables, and Liturgical Actions), the group also had the opportunity to work with the materials and present lessons.
Congratulations to Christi Madden, Kirsten Baer, and Joyce Spurgin who completed all three days. Other participants included: Jessica Jennings and Jennifer Lamb.
Godly Play as a website: http://www.godlyplayfoundation.org/newsite/Main.php and a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GodlyPlay |
 | | Kirsten Baer presents the Good Samaritan lesson |
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EfM Video Explains Changes
If you are interested in learning about the changes to EfM, please go to our web site at:
This video, hosted by Angela Hock and Rick Brewer, will give you all the insights and information needed!
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Clergy Transition
The Rev. Tracey Carroll has been named Priest-In-Charge of St. David's Episcopal Church, Oklahoma. |
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All Souls' Open Golf Tournament
 Tuesday, September 10th
8:00 a.m.
Fairfax Golf Club
2500 Sooner Road
Edmond
Cost of $50 includes lunch
We are looking for volunteers & hole sponsors ($150). If you can help, please contact Terry Prather (405) 206-4215 or asym44@me.com
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Save The Date - Trip to the Holy Land
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma
~presents~
A Journey to the Holy Land
Starting in Amman, Jordan
Under the Direction of
The Rt. Rev. Dr. Edward J. Konieczny
Local Guide: Canon Iyad Qumri
Limited to the first 25
Depart: July 15, 2014
Return: July 29, 2014
More information soon.
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| School of Lectio Divina Offered in Tulsa
St. Joseph's Monastery in Tulsa is offering their School of Lectio Divina. It will be guided by Benedictine Nuns. It is called called "school" because St. Benedict refers to the monastery as a school for the Lord's service. Each school is limited to twelve participants.
This year's dates are Oct. 2-5, Mar. 12-15, 2014 and June 11-14, 2014. In October the first session is on Wednesday evening, 7pm-8:30pm. Thursday-Saturday: 8:30am - 4pm. It is recommended that you read in advance Lectio Matters by Sr. Meg Funk.
This commitment would be a most worthwhile experience if you have an interest in ongoing spiritual formation.
The purpose of the (school) retreat days is to break open the content of Sr. Meg's teaching in light of our personal experience and to invite the participants to an awareness of this teaching on prayer. The staff is made up of Diocesan priests, Benedictine Sisters and laity who are trained by Sr. Meg. There is no commitment to a continuing group experience as this teaching is to enrich your personal prayer practice. The School of Lectio and the Benedictine Oblates of St. Joseph Monastery are open to Christians of all denominations.
You may have heard or read material on the practice of lectio. It abounds in books and articles. The monastic teaching is of "sustained" lectio. It encompasses not a prayer method with the scriptures as much as an understanding of following our desire to know God through the grace of the Holy Spirit and to discern our life choices/daily actions and attitudes from that relationship of grace. It is a relationship that is always ongoing and life giving as we focus on the grace of God through a revelatory text. St. Benedict reminds us- "we are always beginners in the spiritual life".
The school includes: an introduction to the context of the teaching from the early Christian teachers; an invitation of prayer to the Holy Spirit; an understanding of the obstacles to prayer that arise from within and from outside of us; teachings on the revelatory texts that lead us in our desire to know God more intimately; introduction to a variety of prayer tools; the practice of discernment and the spiritual gifts that accompany this way of prayer.
You are welcome to contact Sr. Barbara Austin, OSB for further information - 918-746-4209 or lectio@stjosephmonastery.org.
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Campus Ministers Gather in Chicago
When we (Fr. Blake Woods & Fr. Jeff Huston) arrived  in Chicago it became clear that this was going to be an interesting event. Shared Space 13 was the first time that all the campus ministers from the major mainline denominations (Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, and Methodist churches were represented) gathered together. We all gathered at a welcome reception followed by worship and a keynote address by Diana Butler Bass. It was wonderful time spent worshipping alongside so many people coming from so many different places with great music and the shared excitement of our time together. We followed that with Bass' opening address which, it seemed, tempered that mutual excitement. Knowing where she is coming from as an observer of the church in number form, it was a mixed message of hope and frustration, and one that anyone in the church has likely witnessed firsthand. The main grist for our collective mill was that the need for campus ministry is rapidly growing, as an increasing number of people aged 18-29 are counting themselves as "unaffiliated" in terms of church membership or interest. Herein lies our mission field.
It's no mystery that college aged young adults are leaving the church in droves. Don't believe me? Ask your priest or any Christian formation staffer about the "confirming kids right out of the church" joke. We have a lot of work to do as we try and discern new approaches to keeping young adults involved in the life of the church. This is why we believe college ministry is so important. Not just for the church as a whole, but for the young adults who find themselves thrust into the tumultuous straits of college life or life after high school.
What was so affirming about this gathering was that despite wholesale budget cuts across mainline denominations to campus and young adult ministries, was still present deep passion and commitment to this work across our church. We shared time with speakers offering ideas and strategies, discovering new perspectives and most importantly, offering encouragement. We know this is an uphill battle. But one we feel is crucial for the life of the church going forward. Not just in the basic numbers sense, but for the entire soul of a church that is struggling to grow into itself, just as many of our younger brothers and sisters find themselves.
Also very affirming was the chance to see how much this Diocese in particular is investing in the future of our church. It is true that campus ministry on the whole of the church is shrinking, and in many places non-existent, but that is not the case here in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Almost universally around the nation are stories of struggles to fund the ministry of our young adults, struggles to find folks who are gifted and committed to the ministry, and struggles to reach these people that are one of our fastest growing mission fields.
Here in Oklahoma there has been a rich tradition of campus ministry that has continued to feed the church in both lay and ordained ministries. The appointment of 2 new chaplains at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University continues that tradition and continues the commitment to making our Campus Ministries a strength of our church and not merely an afterthought.
One of the things that was made most apparent was the focus of our church at the national level on Christian Formation as a lifelong process. We are not a church that wants to wait for people to have kids and come back to church, we want to be a church that actively seeks to raise and form Christians throughout the arc of life. You can see that mission starting to take more definite shape here in our Diocese. You can see it in the new and continued improvements to St. Crispin's and the reinvigorated vision of that place aided in no small part by the Mike and Joanne Roberts, you can see it with the new appointments of Campus Ministry Chaplains, you can see it in the success of Altered, our newly formed retreat for young adults, as well as in the numerous offering that we have long provided for our youth and young people.
We know that our work at OU and OSU is the tip of the iceberg. We are honored that Bishop Ed and the clergy of this Diocese trusts us to share in the work that has begun throughout the diocese. As we both begin our journey we ask for your prayers, your encouragement, and your ideas as we reach out to the youth and young adults in this diocese. We hope that before long, our reach will extend well past Norman and Stillwater.
As many of you well know this diocese is blessed with tremendous youth. You met many of them at St. Crispin's when you dropped your kids off for camp. We challenge you to look around at your home church, engage and welcome your young adults. We are daily blessed working alongside them and we know with certainty you will as well. Please feel free to send us the name of your kids who are headed our way, invite us to your churches and most importantly to pray for this critical ministry in the life of our Diocese.
In Christ,
Fr. Blake Woods and Fr. Jeff Huston
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Safeguarding God's People
Safeguarding God's People - Sexual Harassment training is required for those in a supervisory position, such as:
Clergy
Finance Committee
Heads of Schools, congregations, and institutions
Vestries
Supervisors of employees and volunteers
Standing Committee members
Diocesan Council members
The following individuals must receive a copy of the Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment and return the acknowledgement form for their personnel file:
Clergy (kept in Diocesan files)
Employees
Designated volunteers (to include volunteer staff)
Sexual Exploitation training is required for those involved in pastoral relationships, such as:
Clergy
Youth Ministers
Members of Vestries and Bishop Committees
Stephens Ministers
Community of Hope
Spiritual Directors (those trained by FIND or any other licensing group)
Ministers of any sacrament outside of public worship
Lay Eucharistic visitors
Hospital visitors (authorized by your church)
Life leadership/peer coaches
Leaders/facilitators of
a. Bible studies
b. Cursillo (serving on teams)
c. Christian Formation (EFM mentors, catechumenate sponsors)
d. Small group/ministries (New Member ministry, prayer ministry)
Licensed Worship leaders
Licensed preachers
Licensed catechists
Lay Congregational Leaders
Lay Chaplains
Interns
Persons who do field work All Clergy in the Oklahoma City Clericus (or clergy from other areas)! Here's your opportunity to receive Safeguarding God's People training: August 20, 2013 NOTE CORRECTED DATE FOR THIS TRAINING All Souls' Episcopal Church 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Lunch will be provided for clergy. Please register by calling Sabrina Evans at the Diocesan Offices 405 232 4820 or emailing sevans@epiok.org of your plans to attend. September 13 (Friday) Diocesan Offices 10 a.m. - 12:30 Please register by calling Sabrina Evans at the Diocesan Offices 405 232 4820 or emailing sevans@epiok.org of your plans to attend. October 5 (Saturday) 10 a.m.- 12:30 Please register by calling Sabrina Evans at the Diocesan Offices 405 232 4820 or emailing sevans@epiok.org of your plans to attend. |
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Youth Ministry News
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Happening Begins Friday
 Happening 61 will take place August 2nd-4th at All Souls Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City.
Our lay leaders are:
Emma Hutchison, Stormy Leonard, John Tygret, Caitlin Kenney, Kevin Rysted, Kristen Rysted, Mitchel Bibelheimer, Karen Langley, Philip Newcomer, Hanna Hutchison, Matt Jewett-Williams, Blake Woods and Ashley Haggard.
Participants are: Ashlee Birchall, Paige Hughes, Blair Johnson, Emily Lindley, Andrew Sneed, Shannon Sneed, Taylor Willey, Saige Shirley, John Zuk.
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d365.org Prepares for Back to School
Summer is flying by and 'Back to School' is right around the corner.
To help make the transition from summertime to the classroom, d365.org will offer a free devotional resource beginning Thursday, August 4, to facilitate opportunities for students to reflect on their faith journey and the upcoming school year.
Using this resource, thousands of teenagers will read the same scripture, hear the same music and meditate on the same reflection every day at d365.org. Written for teens and tweens, this ecumenical online resource will be a great place to help your students connect their everyday lives with their personal spirituality in virtual community.
A companion curriculum for youth has also been developed and is available for purchase from Passport, Inc.
Want to publish information about the d365 devotions in your newsletter or bulletin? More information, including downloadable bulletin inserts are available:
Information and bulletin inserts in English.
Information and bulletin insert in Spanish.
Join us and experience the power of prayer. |
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Christian Formation Resources |
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6 Reasons to Pray Compline with Your Children
For many years, we have said nighttime prayers with our kids before bed. For much of that time, we would go around and simply give thanks to God for the day's blessings. Like any prayer method, this form became stale after a few years. The kids would try to outdo each other in thanking God for silly things, and our two youngest, both boys, had a hard time sitting still. A few months ago, Molly and I decided we needed a change. Now that two of our kids are reading, with a third in the next year or so, it felt like the perfect time to introduce them to the ancient rite of Compline.
Compline (pronounced COM-plin) is a form of prayers to be said right before bedtime. You can find Compline on page 127 in the Book of Common Prayer. The word comes from the Latin completorium, signifying the end of a complete day. There is a longstanding monastic tradition of praying a various points of the day, and Compline was the last hour one prayed before going to sleep. These prayers have been called "compline" since the 6th century, although the tradition existed well before that. I was taught Compline at summer camp, as it was the form of prayer we prayed together at the close of a busy day. Besides the rite of Holy Eucharist, I would say Compline is the most influential liturgy of my spiritual life.
I found very quickly that my kids loved Compline. It's a brief prayer service, and easy for them to lead themselves. Now, we all take turns leading it. Here are 6 good reasons to introduce this into your own prayer life or the prayer life of your family, especially if you have kids.
1. Compline helps children become leaders and readers. When we started, our oldest was 8 and the next oldest 6, who had finished her first year of reading in school. The first time we did it, I lead it and I asked them to follow along so they could take a turn the next night. This gave them the confidence to know that Compline can be led by anyone. The more they led, the more they loved it. Especially with the 6-year-old, it built her confidence in reading out loud for others. Plus, it was fun for me as a priest, to show them the rhythms of the liturgy, when we pause, when to leave silence, and how to choose options in the liturgy. They also learn to sit still when they hold a book in their laps.
2. Compline teaches us new words. When you read prayers and Scriptures first written and prayed thousands of years ago, you're bound to come across a word that you don't recognize. My kids now know words like "countenance," "crag," "pestilence," "heavy-laden," "adversary," "celestial brightness," and "changelessness."
3. Compline makes you sleepy. This might be true of many liturgies, but we quickly noticed that the two younger boys stopped flopping around during prayers like dead fish. Instead, they would snuggle up closer so they could listen. By the end of Compline, they were both half-asleep and needed to be carried to bed. Compline in tone is akin to a lullaby.
4. Compline reinforces prayers we already know. Even during our "Thank you, God" prayers, we closed with the Lord's Prayer. Compline includes this, so even when we started, the kids were not completely in the dark. If only we could remember to stop at "...and deliver us from evil."
5. Compline teaches multiple types of prayer. We had been stuck in "Dear God, thank you for..." for so long, we forgot there were other types of prayer. Compline includes a short confession, which is a great way to remind children that they are forgiven no matter what mistakes they have made. There are prayers of praise, thanksgiving, intercession, and petition in Compline, which makes our prayers much more well-rounded, so that we are not only asking God for personal stuff and thanking God for Scooby-Doo and cupcakes for dessert.
6. Compline bathes us in Scripture. As with most of the Book of Common Prayer, many of the prayers come directly from Scripture. But Compline also includes 4 Psalms of various lengths (strangely enough, my kids choose the longest one, 91, more than any of them), 4 brief readings from other parts of the Bible, and even the Song of Simeon, which we find in Luke chapter 2. These kids are hearing and reading the Bible without us having to say, "Find Deuteronomy 5:17...hurry!" It's simply washing over them, they are soaking up the words, and when they have a question, we talk about it.
These are just a few benefits to praying Compline. Try it yourself, and I'm sure you'll find many more!
Rev. Jeff Jackson
Rector
St. Nicholas Episcopal Church
Hamilton, GA |
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Godly Play Training Set for Tulsa
Godly Play Core Training : TULSA OK 08-13
Christ Church
10901 South Yale Avenue
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74137
Friday, August 9th, 1:00p - 9:00p
Saturday, August 10th, 8:30a - 5:30p
Sunday, August 11th, 12:00p - 4:30p
Rev. Doug Watts
Godly Play Foundation Trainer
THERE IS NO COST FOR ANYONE IN A CONGREGATION IN THE DIOCESE OF OKLAHOMA TO ATTEND THIS TRAINING.
- Registration includes dinner on Friday night and lunch on Saturday and Sunday.
- Participants are required to be present for the entire training.
- Refunds, discounts and pro-rates are not given for partial attendance.
Questions? Contact us at Training@GodlyPlayFoundation.org or 503-915-5755.CLICK HERE TO GET REGISTRATION FORM: http://www.godlyplayfoundation.org/newsite/pdf/TULSA-OK-08-13.pdf
If you are in this dioceses, in order to register you will need to print out the form, indicated diocesan scholarship on it and forward by mail to Godly Play. Please contact me so I can let the Registrar know your application is coming and to grant the scholarship.
Also, there is a 12 person limit to the number who can attend this session.
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Celebrating in September
September 1 - David Pendleton Oakerhater, first ordained Native American in the Episcopal Church 
Background: Oakerhater was a Cheyenne warrior and spiritual leader who eventually became the first ordained Native American in the Episcopal Church. He was instrumental in founding
and operating schools and missions to the Cheyenne nation in Oklahoma.
Opportunities to Celebrate: Oakerhater was a warrior who returned to his people as a messenger of peace. In his first sermon
upon returning to Oklahoma, he said: "You all know me. You remember when I led you out to war, I went first, and what I told you was true. Now I have been away to the East and I have
learned about another captain, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is my leader. He goes first, and all He tells me is true. I come back to my people to tell you to go with me now on this new road, a
war that makes all for peace."
Consider a sermon communication to your congregation that remembers the lessons he taught through his faithful service - peace, service to your community, and that Jesus "goes first."
For children, talk about what peace means, what does it look like, and what does Scripture tell us about peace.
September 29 - St. Michael's Day
Background: St. Michael the Archangel was the leader of the angels in victory over Satan and is often portrayed with a sword, fighting or standing over a dragon. St. Michael is the powerful agent of God who wards off evil and delivers peace at the end of this life's mortal struggle.
Opportunities: Michael is our protector - helping those who struggle against the spiritual forces of wickedness. Let us continue our human rights work to ensure that places ravaged by violence and war, here and abroad, can experience the transformation of God's justice and love. We are called to join the heavenly battle for the dignity and rights of all God's creatures and must remember it daily in all our choices.
Congregational activity - Dragon Kites! You can purchase kite kits from Oriental Trading or even make them yourselves from paper bags. Decorate the fronts with dragons and don't forget to add the dragon's tail!
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Contact Information
Sabrina Evans
(405) 232-4820 sevans@epiok.org |
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