Dear Friends is Christ,

Yesterday the House of Deputies concurred with three separate actions of the House of Bishops: the approval of the continued use of the rite "The Blessing of a Covenant Relationship," the authorization of two trial rites for Marriage, and a change to the  Marriage canons to allow for the marriage of two persons of the same sex. I voted in favor of the first two resolutions, and abstained on the third.  

As I was determining my vote on the canonical change, the words of Jesus, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no" resonated within me. As I could not faithfully do either, I abstained. Those of you who know me know that while my heart is desirous to embrace this change, my mind is not yet there. Moreover, I felt the canonical change was both unnecessary to the trial use process and would cause further strains in the world-wide communion.

No doubt, most of you are wondering what this means for the Diocese of Milwaukee. While I have yet to work out the details, I anticipate I will authorize the use of the trial rites under guidelines similar to those set forth when I authorized clergy to bless civil marriages. As the new rites are marriage rites, clergy will be able to act as agents of the state should they so choose.  

Please remember that while some are celebrating this development, there are others for whom this decision has caused pain. All are valued and loved members of this diocese. 

The General Convention has been meeting this past week and has done historic and far reaching work.  Please use the links for more information on what has transpired at General Convention and to see photos.  

For information on the Diocese of Milwaukee's deputation and their activites at General Convention, please go to the deputation WEBSITE  and  FACEBOOK page.  If you have questions, concerns, or ideas you wish to communicate to the deputation, you may do so on their website's  Contact page.   

POST-GENERAL CONVENTION SESSIONS:

the Bishop and members of the diocese's General Convention deputation will host two Post-General Convention sessions for members of the diocese: 

Is it time for your church to run a stewardship campaign?   Only if you can demonstrate a few clear components first.  For instance, you need a clear, compelling vision that  demonstrates the long-term benefits of the giving campaign.  A survey found that 72% of donors look for that clarity of vision.  In addition, do you have a healthy stewardship culture to begin with? Don't put the added pressure of a campaign on your congregations unless  you know they're already financially invested.   - RSI Stewardship from Church Finance Today.

Check out this graphic from Church Finance Today on this question - Does your church have a written strategy for inspiring people in biblical generosity?  

http://www.churchlawandtax.com/cft/2015/july/does-your-church-have-written-strategy-for-inspiring-people.html 

The Commission on Mission and Development along with the Finance Committee will be happy to help you continue this conversation.

Peggy Bean, Canon for Congregations    Marlene Udovich, Finance Officer 

Click HERE  to register online to take a class or any of our online trainings offered by our diocese in Safeguarding God's Children (SGC) and Safeguarding God's People (SGP).

Our next class with a trainer will be in the fall - See Fall dates for classes with a trainer below.

ONLINE CLASSES - registration due on or before June 30th. There will be on online registrations accepted in the month of July. Registration begins again in August.

FALL CLASSES with Trainer:

Saturday, Sept 19th, 9am-Noon at 2 locations: St. Luke's, Madison and St. John the Divine, Burlington.  

L.E.V. are required to complete SGP and anyone who is in ministry with children and youth are required to complete SGC. All certificates need to be renewed every 5 years.  See our website for details on trainings, to register for trainings and to see the Master List of all who have completed trainings since 2003.

Haiti Project Matching Campaign for Water and Electricity

by Heidi Ropa, Haiti Project Exec. Director 

There is a proverb in Haiti that goes like this..."The rocks in the water do not know the pain of the rocks in the sun."  This saying was made real to me in March when I visited Jeannette, Haiti, a community this Diocese has had a partnership with for 28 years.  All water in this community comes from water catchment and is held in cisterns  -- large holding tanks of rainwater. People walk with their buckets for long distances to fill them and return to their homes with their water supply for the day.  Currently, there is no purification system for the water at St. Marc's School, therefore, there is no access to safe drinking water.  The parish priest, Pere Jean Lenord Quatorze reported to me that after each rain, at least 20 students come down with water-born illnesses like diarrhea or intestinal worms.  The way of Christ, invites us to respond to such needs.  All children deserve to grow up with safe water to drink.

Through Labor Day Weekend, the Haiti Project is seeking to match the $35,000 given by two generous donors who seek to address issues of water and electricity at St. Marc's School and Health Clinic.  We, the rocks in the water, may not understand the pain of the rocks in the sun -- what it is like to walk for a bucket of water each day hoping our children will not become ill from drinking it.  We can, having learned of this problem, respond with generous hearts.  Please follow this link to make a contribution to the Matching Campaign for Water and Electricity:  http://haitiproject.org/?page_id=290 .  Questions?  contact Heidi Ropa at (608)235-9393 or email info@haitiproject.org.

Join a Haiti Project trip to Jeannette

Fall Haiti Project trip is being planned Oct. 23-Nov. 1.  Please contact Mary Alice Eschweiler at sheppatch@aol.com for an application.

Contact Heidi Ropa at (608)235-9393 or email info@haitiproject.org.

Participants in Haiti Project's March 2015 trip

Singing Rooster Coffee is looking for a Coffee Coordinator for the Diocese assisting parishes with coffee purchases for parish use or coffee sales to individuals in each parish. This person would also help get the word out to all churches in the Diocese about supporting the economy of Haiti through coffee sales.  Each bag of this delicious coffee pays Haitian farmers at greater than Fair Trade rates and a portion of the sale goes to the Haiti Project to help fund St. Marc's School in Jeannette, Haiti.

Interested?  Contact Heidi Ropa, Haiti Project director, at:

haitiproject14@gmail.com  

Please keep staff and campers in your prayers during this summer's camping sessions.   

Parishes and individuals - thank you for your scholarship gifts. Many of our campers depend on camp scholarships and you help make that possible!  

Click HERE for info on donating to Camp Webb.  THANK YOU! 

"Surprised by Joy"  

The 39th Miniweek for Women August 13-16

The 39th annual Miniweek for Women will be held at Camp Lakotah, Wautoma (center of the state) from evening meal Thursday, August 13 through brunch Sunday, August 16. 

This event is open to all women with the theme this year being "Surprised by Joy". The weekend contains presentations, workshops, entertainment, good food, beach time, worship, naps, conversation, laughter. The participants can go to everything - or nothing - it is your weekend. There are a variety of housing choices from rustic cabins to inside facilities with amenities. Scholarships are available.

The chaplain will be The Rev. Anna Doherty from St. Aidan's, Hartford. The keynoter is Mary Fran Crist, Province V health ministry committee member speaking on the theme. There will be some new workshops including opportunity to learn how to play bells, making fingerless mittens, overview of General Convention, and archery. The labyrinth will return, along with choir, book study, exercise to music, Taize and talent show. And much much more.

Go to www.womensminiweek.org, for registration and other info.

THE EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT DEADLINE IS MAY 15, 2015. Gift certificates in any amount for Mother's Day available from Barb McFadden at  feltedsoaplady@gmail.com.