Collect for the First Sunday of Advent

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. 

The Book of Common Prayer 211

Advent 2014 Resources

Bishop White, Canon Amy, and Canon Jason will be sharing short reflections each Sunday in Advent. Find them in your email inbox or on our  Facebook page. Canon Amy will be posting an image each day during Advent on our Instagram and  Facebook pages using the tags #adventword and #Episcopaladvent. 

 Additional resources for Advent can be found here.

Session on Christian Ethics

By School of Ministry

All are invited to a School of Ministry session on Christian Ethics led by the Rev. Dr. Robert MacSwain, Assistant Professor of Theology and Christian Ethics at The School of Theology University of the South. This session will be held on Saturday, December 13th from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Central at All Saints Center. Costs are only for lodging and meals if needed and can be reserved by contacting Crystal at All Saints via crystal@allsaintscenter.org. If you have questions about the workshop, please contact the Ven. Dr. Rose Bogal-Allbritten, Director of the School of Ministry at rosebogal@gmail.com or (270) 293-9490.

2015-16 Episcopal Service Corps Applications Open

The Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) application for the 2015-16 year of service is now open. ESC invites people in their 20s to work for justice, live in Christian community, grow in leadership, and deepen their faith life through participation in one of over 30 programs across the United States. Corps members work at local organizations that address issues including hunger, addiction, natural disasters, violence, education, prison systems, immigration, and homelessness.

 Interested parties can find more details and apply at episcopalservicecorps.org.

Early Deadline: December 15

Regular Deadline: January 19

Winter Deadline: March 9*

*By this deadline, most positions will be filled. Be sure to apply on time.

 Many corps members describe their year of service as the most formative part of their early adulthood.
 

"To say my year in Los Angeles changed my life feels like an understatement, as the things I learned serving in ESC have informed every major decision I've made since. I am truly grateful to have served, and I carry the lessons I learned in Los Angeles with me every day of my life."

Addison Callahan Barwise, 2010 Alumna

Service inevitably deepens a person's understanding of themself and their call. ESC programs intentionally provide professional development that challenges corps members to think about what their contribution to society will be. ESC alumni go on to contribute their gifts in a wide array of fields, including health care, nonprofit, law, advocacy, education, the arts, government, and the church.
 

"A large part of my decision to join the Episcopal Service Corp was to further my vocational discernment and my perceived call to the Episcopal priesthood...I hope to begin seminary in the fall of 2015. For this and for all I experienced in ESC-the good, the bad, the laugh out loud funny-I am eternally grateful."

Michael Kurth, 2011 Alumnus

February 27th-28th, 2015, the Diocese will host the Rev. Dr. Dwight Zcheile, author of People of the Way: Renewing Episcopal Identity, for a two day seminar based on his latest book, The Agile Church: Spirit-Led Innovation in an Uncertain Age. The seminar will focus on the challenging realities many churches face in today's fluid and uncertain environment. The Rev. Dr. Dwight Zcheile will lead in-depth discussions on many important questions including.

• How can we carry forward the best of our traditions while adapting the church's life to connect with new populations and generations?
• What can we learn from both the Bible and Silicon Valley about innovation?
• How might the treasures of our traditions come alive as we proclaim God's promises in an insecure world?

This 2 day seminar will be held at Christ Church Cathedral February 27th - 28th. The first session will be held 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. on the 27th, and the second will be 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the 28th, with lunch included. Both clergy and lay leaders are encouraged to attend. The cost for each person is $15.

This event is made possible by the Brennan Lecture Fund. For more information and to register, please visit www.episcopalky.org/agilechurch.html

Kanuga Conference Center's 87th Christian Formation Conference

By Debbi Rodahaffer

Yes, it's October, and it's time to organize groups in your church and plan to attend. Register by February 8th to ensure your spot! Conference dates are June 8-12, 2015. 

 

This five-day conference "Hope in the Midst of Crisis: From Tragedy to Healing through Forgiveness," features keynoter Lyndon Harris, who will share his story of forgiveness after serving as priest-in-charge in 2001 at St. Paul's Chapel, which is situated at Ground in New York City.

 

The conference features 43 workshops by more than 30 presenters from across the country with a great balance of material on forgiveness and tragedy, how-to workshops for Christian formation directors, professional support, restorative worship and fun.

 

Presenters include our diocese's own Marti Taber, Jeanie Park of St. Mark's, Louisville and Ann Davis of St. Matthew's, Louisville.  Callie Hausman, Good Shepherd, Lexington, will be working with former Canon to the Ordinary, the Rt. Rev. Jay Magness, now Bishop Suffragan to the Armed Forces and Federal Ministries, to bring meaningful worship to this four day conference.   Debbi Rodahaffer, St. Matthew's, Louisville, is lead conference coordinator.

 

Because this conference is dealing with church-preparedness, it is for every cleric, lay professional and lay volunteer member of your parish. (Children and youth programs run. simultaneously so you can take your entire family.)

 

Register a group of three or more from your parish and receive a rebate plus the benefit from the time spent together at Kanuga.  The timing of this conference is perfect for planning a new year of programming.  

 

If you would like to speak with someone in our diocese who has attended this conference each summer in recent years, contact Debbi Rodahaffer dlbr53@gmail.com. For more information on the conference, please visit us online at www.kanuga.com.

As usual, Fall Gathering was nothing short of great. Our theme was "Jesus Who?" and focused on finding Jesus in different situations and in everyday life. Geared towards middle and high school aged groups, the emphasis on finding hope and a positive outlook is very fitting.

Fall Gathering gives kids a chance to reconnect with old friends from summer camp, some they might not see outside of All Saints. It gives new campers a chance to get adjusted to camp life in an easier, slower-paced environment. It serves as a peaceful retreat away from the activity and stress of normal life. For many, All Saints is more than a summer camp or a weekend away from home. It provides a loving, safe, and welcoming community for people of every background, and gives kids a place where they can fit in. Middle and high school are times of great change, both personally and in the world around us. Amidst the transitions of regular life, camp is a steady, solid retreat and a place to come home to. The unconditional love and acceptance in our community is truly one-of-a-kind. 

Need a stocking stuffer? Tired of giving toothbrushes and coal? The Diocese of Kentucky and Youth Programs are proudly opening Summer Camp registration early to help your holiday shopping this year. Summer camp is a gift that every child enjoys. And now parents can enjoy the added time to make payments. To register and receive a Christmas ticket to put in your family members stocking, visit our website (www.episcopalky.org/For-Ministries/youth.html). Registration should be up in mid-December.  

Do you have a culture of giving at Christmas that extends beyond your family? Then consider donating money towards our Camp Scholarship Fund. Every dollar ensures another child is able to experience the love and community of Christ at camp.
 

Greg Cutcliff of Glasgow plays the bagpipes Sunday, November 23, 2014, during the St. Andrew's Day service at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Glasgow. (Bac To Trong/Daily News)

GLASGOW - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Glasgow celebrated its namesake, the patron saint of Scotland, with kilts, bagpipes and Scottish food Sunday. 

"It helps us not only revisit our heritage, but claim our heritage as well," said the Rev. Suzanne Barrow, priest at the church.

 The church's annual St. Andrew's Day service is a time for the congregation to celebrate the roots of both the church and the Scottish ancestry that many members share, she said. 

 "This is kind of a coming home time for us," Barrow said. "We pull out the ancientness of scripture and the ancientness of liturgy and sort of revisit how all of it can still be part of who we are in the 21st century."

 The St. Andrew's Day service Sunday was modeled after the service given by King Charles I to the Church of Scotland in 1637.

 "It's interesting how some of the prayers have never changed," Barrow said.

"This liturgy is beautiful," she said. "It sort of transcends time." [Read more]

Please join the Episcopal Church of the Advent for our annual fall fundraiser, Advent @ Advent, for drinks, hors d'oeuvres, music, raffles and a fun-filled night with friends and family. All are welcome!

 When: Friday, December 12, 2014
Where: Church of the Advent, 901 Baxter Avenue
Time: 7:00 pm until
Cost:

$15 prepay online at adventky.org (Includes one drink ticket - additional drink tickets $5 each)

$20 at the door

Hope to see you there!

Looking for a new and different worship experience for Advent? St. Thomas, Louisville, will be having a series of special "Taize" services with Eucharist at our 5:30 p.m. worship time on December 13th. This service is peaceful and meditative, filled with stillness, candlelight, and special music and song. There will be readings, simple songs, poetry, and prayer, all followed by a short communion liturgy. Please join us at 9616 Westport Road.

Cathedral Arts presents An Advent Service of Lessons and Carols with the Cathedral Choir and the Chamber Choir and percussion ensemble of Pleasure Ridge Park High School, Sunday, December 14, 5:00 PM.

Music by Palestrina, Warlock, Tschesnokoff, Rachmaninoff and featuring "Betelehemu" by Wendell Whalum/arr. by Barrington Brooks

The service is free and open to all. Christ Church Cathedral, 421 S. 2nd Street, www.christchurchlouky.org. For more information contact: cathedralarts@christchurchlouky.org.

On Saturday night, December 20, St. Thomas, Louisville, is offering our second annual "Blue Christmas" service at 
5:30 p.m. This service is designed especially for all of those whose life circumstances this year make the joyful and busy pre-Christmas season difficult to celebrate. In this service, we will reflect on the pain, the loneliness, and the sorrow we may feel at this time of the year and offer it all to our great sign of hope, the Holy Child of Bethlehem. You are invited to join us.