Province VIII of the Episcopal Church

The work below continues here: New Community Clergy and Lay Training Conference February 29-March 3 in San Diego

New Community Clergy and Lay Training Conference to be held February 29 to March 3, 2012, in San Diego, California. The theme of this first joint training event to be sponsored by the church’s Ethnic Offices is “Reclaiming our Mission; Reinterpreting our Context; Renewing our Communities.” The New Community event will address questions such as “How is mission shaped in non-Anglo/non-European communities?” and “How is ministry done in the context of marginality?” as well as provide opportunities for inter-ethnic conversations and multicultural celebration. For more information, contact Sarah Eagle Heart at seagleheart@episcopalchurch.org.

See the New Community Clergy and Lay Training Conference Facebook page.

READ THIS. IT'S IMPORTANT. Leaders meet to consult on Episcopal Church’s ethnic ministries

By Lelanda Lee | January 17, 2012  Episcopal News Service

A Consultation on Alternative Leadership and Theological Training was held January 11-14, 2012, in a suburb of Oklahoma City. This was the first ever churchwide gathering of Episcopal Church leaders involved in ethnic ministries for the purpose of identifying and discussing the common elements of ministry in ethnic communities.

The four ethnic missioners of the Episcopal Church (Sarah Eagle Heart, Indigenous Ministries; Anthony Guillen, Latino/Hispanic Ministries; Angela Ifill, Black Ministries; Winfred Vergara, Asiamerica Ministries) convened the consultation. Eagle Heart, who is the team leader for Diversity, Social and Environmental ministries, explained that Winter Talk, a gathering of people in Indigenous ministry that was originally planned for the same weekend, had been canceled to focus program budget on training.

The missioners worked with acknowledged leaders in each ethnic ministry to invite eight to ten individuals to participate plus seven bishops who are actively involved with ethnic ministries. Several resource people who work directly with ethnic ministries were also invited, including a representative from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Gordon Straw, formerly the Director for American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries and now Program Director for Lay Missional Leadership Centers, represented the church’s full communion partner.

Ruth-Ann Collins, officer for Lifelong Christian Formation, served as the facilitator of the breakout

Commission on Ministry: Welcome to The Rev. Gretchen Rehberg

The Executive Committee is pleased to welcome Gretchen Rehberg as our new Commission on Ministry network coordinator.  Gretchen is a cradle Episcopalian, grew up in the Diocese of Spokane but left after high school to "see the world."  She went to Sewanee as an undergrad, earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Minnesota, lived in Switzerland for a year and taught at Bucknell Univ. before going to GTS for an M.Div., earning that in 2002.  
Gretchen served at St. John's, York, PA and is now the rector of the Church of the Nativity in Lewiston, ID. She currently serves on the Commission on Ministry as the Chair and on the Executive Council Committee on Science, Technology and Faith; and is a deputy to General Convention. Gretchen has  also worked as an EMT/firefighter and currently volunteers  as a pharmacy tech. at the free health clinic in town. 

Questions? Contact Gretchen at 731 8th St, Lewiston, ID 83501, (208)743-9121 (wk) (208) 816-2413 (cell), rector@nativitylewiston.com.

 

Do you know of congregations involved in extraordinary ministries that could benefit others?

The Congregational Vitality Office at the Episcopal Church Center is in the process of compiling a “Small Church Growth Strategies Handbook” entitled, Hope and Action: Abundant Small Churches. The resource will be ready for the General Convention this summer. (The Rev. Dr.) Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook is compiling stories of abundant small churches and resources to be included. Do you know of congregations involved in extraordinary ministries that could benefit others – community gardens, innovative small church worship and music, outreach and social justice, new ways to engage children, youth and young adults, evangelism with groups beyond young families (global mission, and any other distinctive and hopeful efforts?
 
Please submit a one-page flyer highlighting the resources you offer to congregations. Submissions must be one page, one-sided, and black & white PDF, submitted no later than November 11 to: sherylkujawa1@msn.com or skujawa-holbrook@cst.edu. Thank you!

Episcopal Church “1st Fridays at 4” online gathering discusses innovative ministry development

From The Episcopal Church
Office of Public Affairs

Episcopal Church “1st Fridays at 4” online gathering

discusses innovative ministry development

  Next session August 5

 

[July 25, 2011] Join the Episcopal Church online gathering “1st Fridays at 4” and participate in discussions about Fresh Expressions or emergent ministries.

 

Sponsored by the Episcopal Church Office of Ministry Redevelopment and coordinated by the Rev. Thomas Brackett, Missioner for Church Planting, Ministry Redevelopment and Fresh Expressions, the next online gathering is August 5 from 4 pm to 5:30 pm Eastern (3 pm – 4:30 pm Central; 2 pm – 3:30 pm Mountain; 1 pm – 2:30 pm Pacific; noon – 1:30 pm Alaska; 11 am – 12:30 pm Hawaii).

 

Featured on August 5 will be church planter the Rev. Jimmy Bartz, who leads Thad's, an experimental community of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.

 

“The Rev. Jimmy Bartz has some fresh perspectives on what it means to ‘be Church’ in the context the community is called to serve,” Brackett said.  “He also speaks clearly to the disciplines and practices that are essential for planting a vital and self-sustaining ministry.”

 

Call participants can ask questions and “test out ideas with Jimmy as you explore the application of his claims there in your local community,” Brackett added.

 

Participation is available three ways: telephone; telephone and watch the live video stream on the web; telephone and participate in video conference with a webcam

Shaping the Parish June 15-21 at Trinity Church in Seattle

From National Episcopal Health Ministries

National Program:

Dates: June 15 – 21, 2011 & June 13 – 19, 2012

For more information, please visit: http://www.shapingtheparish.com/.

The National Program, in Seattle, includes two June week-long workshops, with participants completing readings and six parish projects between summers and just after the second June. You finish the program in a little over one year. 

The Program:

• Focuses on making immediate, tangible improvements while building long-term health.
• Equips participants for effective leadership through their own spiritual and personal growth and

Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations Training

From The Episcopal Church in Western Washington

A new Para-church organization has been formed to address the social skills necessary for effective leadership in the church. It is the Center for Emotional Intelligence and Human Relations Skill (Center for EQ-HR Skills). Executive Director of the group is Roy M. Oswald former senior consultant with the Alban Institute. This group sponsors workshops across this continent, many at denominational seminaries. Their target group is clergy, seminarians, and faith based leaders.

There will be a workshop in Vancouver, BC from January 10-14, 2011.  You can read more through the website, www.eqhrcenter.org.

Farewell to Jenny Vervynck

The Diocese of San Diego bid farewell and honored The Rev. Jenny Vervynck on Sunday, November 1 with a choral evensong and reception.  Jenny served fifteen years in the diocese and nearly ten years as the Commission on Ministry network leader for Province VIII. Jenny provided solid, outcome based, gospel driven vision and leadership. She was always able to help us see the bigger picture of the province and helped set the tone and context for our work together. Her work with COM enabled provincial leadership to respond to local COM diocesan needs.  We will miss her vision, support, intellect, and big heart!  Blessings on your next adventure Jenny!

(photo of altar on Halloween at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Mercer Island, WA 2006)

Provincial Leadership Conference, Mercy Center, September 14-16

The 2009 annual Provincial Leadership Conference (PLC) will begin at Noon on Monday, September 14th and end at Noon on Wednesday, September 16th at Mercy Center in Burlingame, California.  The Executive Committee will begin its meeting at 3 pm on Sunday, September 13th and end at 2 pm on Wednesday, September 16th.

The theme for PLC will be "Ubuntu", a concept interpreted by South African Archbishop Emeritus Desmond

Commission on Ministry Gathering July 29-31

The time for our upcoming Province VIII COM Conference is coming soon and I wanted to contact you to remind you to send your registration for the conference as soon as possible.  If you are not able to attend, but know of others in your Diocese who are, please remind them to sent their registrations to the Diocese of San Diego.  We need to