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The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
"To be the passionate presence of Christ for one another and the world we are called to serve"
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Forward the Messenger
to a Friend!...
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Welcome to the e-Messenger
September 6, 2013 Edition
Diocesan Calendar of Events... click HERE
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LPM Program Begins Its Third Consecutive Year in the Diocese of Central New York
If you are interested in learning more about  the ministry of music in worship, it's not too late to sign up for this coming fall's program of the Leadership Program for Musicians. Parishes may also wish to give this program as a gift to their musicians and worship leaders to serve as continuing education and encouragement.
The two-year revolving education program begins on Saturday, September 7. Our first day of classes will be held in St. James, Skaneateles, and it is an open house for those interested in experiencing a day of classes first before committing to the program. We hold one day of classes per month. At our first meeting, we will determine future class session locations based on the participants' home parishes and locations, to make it more convenient.
This year, we will explore and develop the skills needed to lead congregational song. Please let us know if your primary instrument is voice, keyboard, organ, or guitar. We will also learn about the relationship between music and liturgy, and will practice the skills and issues involved in teaching new music to your congregation. All two-year continuing students take the Philosophy of Church Music course as well.
This music ministry program of the Episcopal and Evangelical Lutheran Churches program, culminates in a Certificate of Church Music from the Leadership Program for Musicians upon successful completion of the course requirements. Participants may also sign up ŕ la carte for a couple of courses. You will gain experience, skills development, and background information to make them for effective in their role in worship. One of the benefits is to network with others who share your challenges and insights.
For more information, please contact The Rev. Anne Wichelns, LPM Coordinator: awichelns@twcny.rr.com, or 315 350-4844, or check out http://www.cnyepiscopal.org and click on ministries. The LPM brochure can be found attached to the site.
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Mission of Miracles is now accepting applications for Team 2014!!!
The Medical Mission Trip will be Saturday, February 8 through Sunday, February 16.
Cost is approximately $1500-1600.
The purpose of these trips is to provide primary care in medicine, dental, vision, and mental health. Our focus is on health promotion and disease prevention. Please consider helping out if you are an NP, PA, MD, nurse, dentist, mental health professional, dental hygienist, or an eye specialist. WE NEED YOU!
If you are interested in going this year, please fill out a current application which can be downloaded from the website... www.missionofmiracles.org. ... and sent to:
Daisy Bongiovanni
7859 Cahill Road
Manlius, NY, 13104
Please include:
- Deposit of $100
- copy of professional license
- current resume (for professional license holders only)
- copy of your passport ( please check expiration date -must not expire within 6 months of travel)
- medical form (download from website)
* If you are a recent participant of our team, and we have these items already on file, you do not need to resubmit, assuming they are current. We do, however, need a new health form every year, along with your deposit.
* Deadline for applications is September 30, 2013 *
Thanks to everyone for all your past support. We are excitedly looking forward to our 11th Mission trip!!
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 Diocesan Safe Church Training is designed to increase awareness regarding sexual misconduct and abuse of power, to outline steps toward preventing abuse, to offer ways to intervene when misconduct occurs and to equip anyone in a position of parish leadership with ways of healing and rebuilding the body of Christ. The training is required of all those who are working with children and youth but is open to all. All Vestry members and clergy are also required to have Safe Church Training. If it has been 5 years since you last attended, it is also time to renew your certification.
There will be a Safe Church Training session on September 15 at Trinity Church in Fayetteville. It will run from 5-8pm with a pot luck supper. If anyone would like to attend, other than Trinity Church parishioners, they can contact Natalie Stansbury by email at gornat620@twcny.rr.com to register and let us know how many people to expect at the training session.
There will also be a "Train the Trainers" session for Safe Church trainers on Friday, November 15th, 2013 - the day the Diocesan Convention begins, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, Electronics Parkway, Liverpool. This will be for both new trainers wishing to join this ministry and for those who need to renew their 5 year Safe Church Training certificates. Anyone planning to participate should pre-register by either email at photobug482003@yahoo.com, or call 607/761-4764 no later than September 30th. Thank you, Bill O'Connell Safe Church Coordinator
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All Saints Episcopal Church in Fulton is hosting a Festival which will be held Friday, September 13, 4 p.m til 9 p.m. and Saturday, September 14, noon til 9 p.m. This is a change of dates from the ones previously listed in August. A Garage Sale will also be included on Saturday. All events will take place on Academy and South First Streets.
The Festival will include our fantastic pulled pork sandwiches, jams and preserves along with bake goods. Farm fresh maple syrup, honey, eggs will also be featured along with demonstrations. Rides and/or Bouncy Houses will be available to entertain the young along with games.
We are reaching out to all churches and service organizations in the area to give you the opportunity to join us. Booths are available for arts, crafts, food, children's games, demonstration, informational , entertainment etc.
The proceeds raised from booth rentals will help fund our church programs and outreach, including the Tuesday Night Free Community Dinner, which has served thousand of free dinners to Fultonians since 2009. Please feel free to spread the word of this program for those who are in need of a warm meal. Tell them to drop in on Tuesdays between 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm to dine with us.
Any ideas or suggestions you may have from prior experiences would be greatly appreciated. If you would like to reserve booth space or have questions or suggestions, please call Sonja Shoen-Delong at 315/378-3744, Marilou Santoro at 315/343-0172 or Lynn Bullard at 315/598-9535.
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Exhibitors are needed for the 145th Diocesan Convention Exhibit Hall.
If you are interested and want to be added to the list, please contact
Please contact one of us and further information will be mailed out to you!
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A Special End of Summer Invitation:
St. John's Episcopal Church, Oneida
Invites Everyone to an
Open House / Garden Party
September 7, 2013 from 1:00 to 5:00 PM
We are celebrating our newly renovated Skinner Organ. Come and hear the beautiful music that we will provide for 15 minutes, every hour, on the hour. In addition, we will have exhibits showcasing what we do!
Also provided will be: lemonade, cookies, storytelling, drumming, tours of the Church, face painting, hula hoops and other games and activities for children of all ages.
Please come and celebrate with us.
St. John's Episcopal Church 341 Main St. Oneida, NY 13421 315/363-1940
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Please join us for a
Celebration of the
Life and Mission of
Emmanuel Church, Adams and
Zion Church, Pierrepont Manor
as we welcome our new rector,
The Reverend John Throop
Thursday, September 12th
at 7:00 p.m.
Emmanuel Church
40 East Church Street
Adams, New York
Your prayers and presence are requested.
A reception will follow the service
Clergy: Celebratory Stoles
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St. John's, Ithaca, has called and the Bishop has appointed the Reverend Deacon Christopher Szarke to serve the parish as Deacon. Christopher is also working as part-time chaplain at the Cayuga Medical Center in Ithaca. Christopher is currently a transitional deacon who is Canonical in the Diocese of Atlanta.
The Shared Partnership parishes: Church of the Resurrection in Oswego; Grace Evangelical Lutheran in Oswego; and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Fulton and their Pastor/Clergy-in-Charge, the Reverend Richard Klafehn, have called the Reverend Anne Wichelns to be an Assistant Priest on a part-time basis to the Partnership. Anne completed the Diocesan Formation program and was ordained a priest in 2007. Anne has served as the part-time vicar at St. Andrew's in Evans Mills and will continue in that position as well. Anne begins working with the Faith
Partnership on September 1st.
Bishop Adams has licensed the Reverend Nelson Gaetz, a retired Lutheran pastor (Upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) to officiate in the Diocese. The Reverend Gaetz resides in Syracuse.
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Please mark your calendars and plan to attend an information meeting to learn more about the health insurance plan options that will be available in the Diocese of Central New York effective January 1, 2014.
In compliance with the requirement by the 2009 General Convention of the Episcopal Church, Resolution and Canon A177 requires that the Episcopal church establish the Denomination Health Plan (DHP) of this church for all domestic dioceses, parishes, missions, and other ecclesiastical organization or bodies subject to the authority of this church, for clergy and lay employees who are scheduled to work a minimum of 1,500 hours annually. The Denominational Health Plan, by Canon, has been designed and will be administered by the Church Medical Trust.
A representative of the Medical Trust will explain the health insurance plan options for the Denominational Health Insurance Plan and the Open Enrollment process for the Diocese of Central New York at the following times and locations:
- Tuesday, October 8th - Holiday Inn, Liverpool at 1:00 p.m. AND 7:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 9th - Trinity Memorial Church, Binghamton at 1:00 p.m. AND 7:00 p.m.
All clergy and lay employees who will be covered by these health plans, as well as vestry members who want to learn more about DHP, are encouraged and invited to attend. If you have any questions about the DHP, please contact Judy Fried at the Diocesan office or via email at jfried@cnyepiscopal.org.
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Mark your calendars!
Friday and Saturday, November 15th and 16th is the 145th Convention of the Diocese of Central New York.
Pre-Convention Regional Meetings will be held at the following times and places:
Please note the correction to the time of the meeting in Binghamton!
Pre-Convention Regional Meetings are a time to talk about the upcoming Convention, review Resolutions received that will be discussed at Convention, and an opportunity to review and ask questions about the 2014 Budget. Mark your calendars, all delegates should plan to attend one of the meetings. If you are not a delegate to Convention and are interested in learning more about the proceedings at Convention, you are invited to join us as well!
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Warm greetings from the SSJE brothers. I am writing to offer you a variety of resources which I hope may encourage you and those whom you serve. We are glad to provide the following spiritual formation support online and in printed form:
Daily emailed meditations: "Brother, Give Us A Word."
- in Advent, also with beautiful, iconic images
- and in Advent iv, also with Brothers' daily videos of
Christmastide gift cards for parishioners on their departure from Christmas services throughout your diocese. Our beautiful packet of business-size cards, with brief meditations for the 12 Days of Christmas, are available, produced via our partnership with Forward Movement.
Daily Lent videos: "LOVE LIFE: Living the Gospel of Love" In a series of short, daily videos the Brothers of SSJE delve deeply into the gospel that shapes our community life. John's message of love can unlock our hearts and transform our lives.
The languages of Pentecost: In June we enrich the daily "Brother, Give Us A Word" with text versions in five languages and with videos of Br. David Vryhof interpreting into sign language.
Our website www.SSJE.org offers ways for you to embed our content into your diocesan and parish websites, email, Facebook and other social media platforms.
Faithfully yours,
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The 145th Diocesan Convention registration information and instructions are being emailed to all Clergy and Lay Delegates to Convention on Friday, September 6th. This information can also be found posted on the Diocesan website. Information on the Diocesan Convention, to be held at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool on November 15th and 16th, are instructions for how to register to attend, registration deadlines, how to be nominated for an open position in the Diocesan leadership as well as General Convention Deputies, Resolution deadlines, and Memorial listings. In addition, the Proposed Budget for 2014 is also included.
If you have any questions about registering for Convention, please do not hesitate to contact the Diocesan office or email Judy Fried at jfried@cnyepiscopal.org or Debbie Nettle at dnettle@cnyepiscopal.org.
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St. Paul's, Owego to Hold Celebration
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Choral Evensong for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels
and
A festive Choral Evensong and organ recital is scheduled for Saturday, September 28th at 4pm, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located at 117 Main Street in the Village of Owego.
Celebrating the completion of the rebuilding of the church's Delaware Pipe Organ by Parsons Pipe Organ Builders of Canandaigua, the event will feature choral works of Holman and Gardiner, sung by the combined choirs of St. Paul's Church and Christ Church, Binghamton, directed by Jean Radice, organist and choir director at St. Paul's, and Jack Austin, former choir director and organist at St. Paul's. The organ recital will feature works by Vaughan Williams, J. S. Bach, Sowerby, Langlais and Alain. A reception will follow the service.
A warm invitation is extended to all churches in the diocese.
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St. Paul's, Owego will hold a craft fair and bake sale on Saturday September 14th from 9:00am to 3:00pm. More information available from: Elaine at 607/642-3579 or careteamspo@stny.rr.com. Proceeds to "Handicap Accessibility project".
- St. Matthew's Church, Horseheads is seeking a part-time Parish Administrator. The administrator will perform general secretarial and clerical duties in the church office, supporting the ministry of the rector and various lay leaders. For more information, contact Gary Packard at grp13@stny.rr.com or call 607/739-9576.
- Emmanuel Church, Adams will hold a Blessing of the Animals service on Sunday, October 6th at 4 p.m. The church's pastor, the Reverend Dr. John Throop, will lead this time of worship and thanksgiving. A reception will follow, with treats for animals and people. For more information, please contact Emmanuel Church at 315/232-2916.
- St. Andrew's Church, New Berlin will host an Introduction to Centering Prayer and Contemplative Prayer on September 21 from 9 am to noon by the Reverend William Redfield. While broad enough to place contemplative practice in the field of spiritual transformation, this presentation will also be specific enough to get participants up and running in a practice.
 Father Bill recently retired as rector of Trinity Church, Fayetteville, NY, after nearly 20 years. Besides being an Episcopal priest, he is also a licensed clinical social worker and has worked in private practice in Central New York and Maine. He has had a lifelong interest in the intersection of the spirituality and the inner life. He is the creative force behind the birth of Wisdom House, Fayetteville, NY. Bill was introduced to Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault over 22 years ago and has been as active student of hers for the last seven years.
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Episcopal Church House of Bishops to gather in Nashville
August 26, 2013
[Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs press release] Bishops of The Episcopal Church will gather for the House of Bishops fall meeting September 19-24 at the Nashville Airport Marriott, Nashville Tennesee.
The theme of the gathering will be Transforming Loss into New Possibilities.
The meeting will begin with welcomes by Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Bishop John Bauerschmidt from the host Diocese of Tennessee.
Slated are presentations on Missional Wisdom, Bridge-Building Mission, Formation for Mission, Moving Missionally, and Moving Diagonally. In addition, the bishops will discuss a range of important topics such as gun violence, the new diocesan staff networking program, and a business meeting on September 24.
On Sunday, September 22, the bishops will visit churches in the area. Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori will preside and preach at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville.
Among the invited guests are: Bishop Suheil S. Dawani, Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem; Rabbi Steve Gutow, President and CEO of Jewish Council for Public Affairs; Dr. Elaine Heath, McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and co-founder of the Missional Wisdom Foundation; President of the House of Deputies the Rev. Gay Clark Jennings; Bishop Gregory Palmer, Bishop of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church; Canon David Porter, Director for Reconciliation for Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby; and representatives of the United Methodist Church.
The meeting includes daily Eucharists and prayer services.
The House of Bishops Spouses/Partners group will be meeting concurrently.
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Episcopal Presiding Bishop on ELCA election
The Episcopal Church
Office of Public Affairs
Thursday, August 15, 2013
 Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has issued the following statement on the election of a Presiding Bishop by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
I give thanks for the faithful ministry of Mark Hanson as Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America over the last 12 years. It has been an honor and privilege to share ministry with him during the last seven years. I have learned much from his prophetic and gifted evangelical ministry, and I pray that the next chapter of his ministry may be a rich blessing to him, his family, and many others.
I give thanks as well for the election of Elizabeth Eaton as the next Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, and look forward to working with her as we grow in our Call to Common Mission. There are excellent foundations already in our common work, and I expect further growth as we seek to serve God's mission as ministers of justice and healers of the breach. I anticipate a journey of mutual discovery of the gifts God so richly bestows on our two Churches, particularly in new contexts and populations. May God bless the journey and may God bless the pastoral leadership of Bishop Eaton!
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori
Presiding Bishop and Primate
The Episcopal Church
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Creating Space for Yes
Written by Bob Leopold on August 21, 2013
Originally posted at: http://www.ecfvp.org/posts/creating-space-for-yes/
Reprinted from ECF Vital Practices www.ecfvp.org and by permission of the author.
I'm a "yes" man. I'll admit it, though maybe not the way you are imagining. As facilitator of a non-traditional community, people approach me with all kinds of questions:
- This All Souls' Day, can we host a meal and worship service at our local homeless center that honors all of the homeless who have died in the previous year?
- Instead of washing feet this Maundy Thursday, can we collect shoes for our neighborhood elementary school?
- Can we embody ministry equality and hire a Lay Missioner?
- I heard about a Church with a Theologian-in-Residence; can we have a Theologian-in-Residence?
I have been filled-with-the-Spirit or foolhardy enough to answer, "yes," to all of these questions.
While it is better than being a "no" man, I did not set out to be a "yes" man. I set out to create a safe space for those I serve - a space safe enough to ask questions, but also a space safe enough for the questions to become declarations:
- We are going to print prayerbook breviaries full of our favorite prayers and readings to give to people we love.
- We are going to buy a Loaves-and-Fishes Food Truck to share food and celebrate Holy Communion with the poor in our city.
- Our worshiping community is going to raise $700,000 to give away, making 2014 the Year of the Jubilee.
I was miles away from home when it happened, when the questions turned into statements. A group of lay leaders got together without me and decided to make 2014 the Year of the Jubilee in our community. They decided to raise the aforementioned $700,000. While this might sound pretty good to some of us involved in parish leadership, they also added the caveat that every penny of this $700,000 would go to justice ministries and not one penny of this sum would be spent on our own worshiping community.
I returned home to this news, and it hit me: this is what can happen when a community is open to the movement of the Holy Spirit. This is way bigger than anything I could have dreamed up. I can already hear my inner cynic clearing his throat, but I'm a "yes" man now. The conversations among community leaders have already begun. We will raise that $700,000 and my "yes" will turn into a "YES!!!"
 Bob Leopold is Missioner for the Diocese of East Tennessee, where he serves Southside Abbey in the diverse Southside neighborhood of Chattanooga. Southside Abbey is a non-traditional model of worshiping community that engages in justice ministries and gathers for a meal and worship on Friday evenings beginning at 6:11pm in a not-for-profit art gallery.
The Southside of Chattanooga is a rapidly-changing part of town that combines a youthful spirit of entrepreneurship with those who carry a personal history that many Chattanoogans would rather forget. Southside Abbey exists in the wonderfully complicated interplay of these worlds, led by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus wherever that leads.
If you would like to chat with him about anything, please feel free to email Bob.
You are encouraged to watch the video below for more information about
Southside Abbey
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Sacred Chaos: Southside Abbey
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In response to our request to the author for permission to republish the story, he replied:
We would love for you to see or be a part of what we are doing at Southside Abbey. The idea of SA is that it is a sustainable and transferable model. We really wanted to show people that this could be done and be done sustainably in different contexts. If I can be of any help in this regard, please let me know.
Our website is under major renovation right now, but soon we hope to have all of our liturgical and musical resources up to share, as well as our budget and governance documents. Open-source is a key ideal of ours as well.
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The Messenger e-Newsletter is sent out the first and third Friday of each month.
Articles are always welcome and may be sent to the editor at:
Deadline for submission of articles is one week prior to publication.
If you have a photo to accompany your article, please attach it in .jpg format with your e-mail.
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