EPISCOPALIAN. Perspective of convention theme requires faith Bishop s address to the 26th Annual Diocesan Convention

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1 T H E E A S T T E N N E S S E E EPISCOPALIAN The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee w Volume 25, No. 1 w Spring 10 Perspective of convention theme requires faith Bishop s address to the 26th Annual Diocesan Convention Mr. President, lay and clergy delegates, and distinguished guests and visitors among us, I greet you on the occasion of the Twenty Sixth Annual Convention of the Diocese of East Tennessee. This represents my twelfth convention address the first one having occurred on the day prior to my consecration as bishop. I thank you for your indulgence as you have listened patiently to these addresses. I commend you for your perseverance during those times. And, I assure you of my gratitude for the honor of serving as bishop of this diocese for the past eleven years. As you may have heard, the process of Episcopal transition has begun. I plan to resign as bishop of this diocese once my successor has been consecrated, and we anticipate that will happen in June, According to plans developed by the Standing Committee, the Search Committee, the Transition Committee, and the bishop, we hope and pray that the election BISHOP continues on page 2 Photo by Vikki Myers The Rt. Rev. Charles vonrosenberg, Deacon Lani Hubbard and the Rt. Rev. John Tarrant of companion diocese of South Dakota celebrate the Eucharist at the 26th Annual Diocesan Convention in Knoxville on Saturday, Feb. 13. Lay leader from St. James, Knoxville, receives national award We warmly congratulate Mr. Harry Chase and thank him for the crucially important ministry he is providing, said the Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, dean and president of Virginia Theological Seminary. It is thanks to people such as Mr. Chase that the Church has the impact it does in society. Chase was selected to receive Virginia Theological Seminary s Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award because he has dedicated his life to volunteering as an independent family advocate with rural communities in Central Appalachia, supporting families through a range of programs and CHASE continues on page 6 Photo by Vikki Myers Harry Chase, winner of Virginia Theological Seminary s 2010 Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award, stands as he is introduced and recognized for his work at the Feb. 13 session of the diocesan convention. The national award celebrates the ministry of the laity in the church and beyond. Haiti page 10 I N T H I S I S S U E 2010 DIOCESAN CONVENTION / 1-7 BISHOP SEARCH / 8 HAITI / 10 GRACE POINT / 12 CALENDAR / 19 PEOPLE AND MINISTRY / 14 AROUND THE DIOCESE /17 OPPORTUNITIES /18

2 2 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION The Diocese of East Tennessee Diocesan House 814 Episcopal School Way Knoxville, Tenn Web site: etdiocese.net Bishop The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonrosenberg cgvonr@etdiocese.net Vision Statement The Episcopal Church in East Tennessee, Unified and empowered by the Spirit of God, Embraces the call of Jesus as servants for the sake of the world And as faithful stewards of God s gracious bounty. The diocese is in communion with: The Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori The Anglican Communion Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Rev. Dr. Rowan Williams Member: Episcopal Communicators; Episcopal News Service /Episcopal LIfe Online T H E E A S T T E N N E S S E E EPISCOPALIAN Vol. 25, No. 1 The East Tennessee Episcopalian (USPS ; ISSN ) is a quarterly publication of the Diocese of East Tennessee. Periodical postage is paid at Knoxville, Tennessee. Subscription rate is $10 per year outside the Diocese of East Tennessee. Web archives: etdiocese.net/ete/ Publisher: The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonrosenberg Editor: Vikki Myers editor@etdiocese.net 814 Episcopal School Way Knoxville, Tenn Correspondents: Emily McDonald, South East Area ecmcdonald@bellsouth.net 724 Bacon Trail No. 46 Chattanooga, Tenn Upper East Area (greater Tri-Cities) Vacant Interested volunteers, please contact the editor Middle East Area (greater Knoxville) Vacant Interested volunteers, please contact the editor TO THE POSTMASTER AND READERS: FOR CORRECTIONS OF ADDRESS AND NOTICE OF DUPLICATE MAILINGS, PLEASE NOTIFY: ETE Circulation Manager Lynn Lazlo llazlo@etdiocese.net 814 Episcopal School Way Knoxville, Tenn Subscription rate is $10 per year outside the diocese. of the next bishop will take place a year from now at next year s diocesan convention. We will hear more about the process later in this convention. On behalf of everyone here, I want to thank the people responsible for coordinating our convention this year. Mary LeMense has served as the chair of this year s Convention Planning Committee. Several Knoxville churches are our co-hosts: Good Shepherd, St. Thomas, and Church of the Ascension. At this time, therefore, I invite the convention to join me in expressing our thanks for the good work that has been accomplished on behalf of all of us. We have introduced two of our guests at this convention already. However, I want to recognize them again at this time. The Rt. Rev. John Tarrant is the new diocesan bishop of our companion diocese, South Dakota. And, the Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey, from Ottawa, Canada, will be our guest speaker. Welcome to you both. Also, I want to pay tribute to my colleague, the Rt. Rev. William Sanders, first bishop of East Tennessee. Bishop Sanders is not with us at this convention. However, he continues to offer support and guidance to many of us, and he even makes several visitations in East Tennessee each year, at my request. Currently, Bishop Sanders is doing well, following heart surgery in Nashville, late last year. We wish him well, and we offer him our best wishes and our prayers. Diocesan Staff As my custom has been, I want to recognize our diocesan staff for the hard work they do, in preparation for convention and, indeed, all year long. I certainly am blessed to share in ministry with these folks, and I am personally grateful for their efforts. Also, I hope that the people of the diocese realize the good resources that our staff offers, in support of the ministries of us all. Therefore, at this time I want to recognize and to thank members of our diocesan staff, individually. Lynn Lazlo serves as Receptionist and Administrative Assistant; Alex Haralson, as Youth Ministries Coordinator; Herb Berl, as volunteer Stewardship Officer; Rosemary Davenport, as Insurance Administrator and Administrative Assistant. Jim Powell is the interim Executive Director of Grace Point, and we welcome him to his first convention in that role. Vikki Myers serves as Communications Director; Rick Govan, as Deputy for Ministry and Congregational Development. Mary Berl is our Diocesan Administrator. Laura Nichols serves as the Bishop s Executive Assistant. And, Stephen Askew is the Canon to the Ordinary. Please join me now in offering our thanks to this very fine diocesan staff. Convention Theme Abundance in Scarcity For the remainder of this Address, I would like to put on the lens of our convention theme Abundance in Scarcity in order to look at several aspects of life today and, especially, of our diocesan life. It is important to acknowledge at the outset that the perspective of this convention theme requires faith. That is, with evidence readily available, we may identify realities having little at all to describe as abundant. However, a perspective informed by faith along with the experience of faith leads us to conclude that our time does indeed offer us abundance in scarcity. Evidence of scarcity in society at large and in the church may be found, quite easily. The loss of wealth during the past two years has been unbelievable. Many people have seen the value of personal assets reduced by thirty or forty percent or more. Some of that loss has been recovered by some people, but certainly not all of it by everyone. Real estate, whose worth seemed ever-increasing in the past, has experienced a decline unlike anything in our memories. Banks have folded; businesses have closed; money has become tight or unavailable. Unemployment figures exceed ten percent in many parts of our country a sum that was thought outrageous not very long ago. Churches are not immune from these troubles, as we know all too well. The Episcopal Church local, diocesan, and general has experienced effects similar to those of businesses. Programs and staff have been cut; full-time positions have been reduced to part-time; and some churches have looked seriously at closing their doors.... the asking from churches to support diocesan ministries was significantly reduced this year. Bishop and Council made the conscious decision to live within more limited means, in hopes that local mission would be enhanced and that individual churches would cooperate, in support of our common diocesan ministry. For the most part, diocesan churches have cooperated, as they are able, and we are grateful. The scarcity which confronts us provides opportunities for abundant mission and ministry, nevertheless. The abundance of our response will be guided by our Lord, who became poor to serve those in need. Biblical Reflections on Abundance In situations of scarcity, however, signs of abundance do persist. Again, with eyes of faith, we may witness abundance and testify to it. The convention logo reminds us of the loaves and fishes meager provisions that nevertheless fed five thousand people, from Jesus hands (Mark 6:35f). Indeed, in the presence of Jesus, over and over again, abundance grows out of scarcity. Of course, we know that Jesus perspective often is unique, and such is certainly true in terms of this subject. His observation of the widow s offering in the temple was that this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury (Mark 12:43). The gift may have been small in monetary value, but Jesus saw in that gift an unsurpassed abundance of worth, nevertheless. In addition to the example of Jesus himself, we find other indications of abundance in scarcity in the life of the early church. Among those examples, the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians seems prominent. There certainly existed examples of scarcity in Corinth and in the church there scarcity in morals, in faithfulness to the Gospel, in social status, and in financial resources, among other things. St. Paul reminds the Corinthians of the example of Christ, as the one appropriate to follow. He writes to them, You know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich (8:9). Again, in the witness of our Lord, we along with St. Paul may identify abundance in scarcity. Paul also refers to the remarkable support of certain Christians, on behalf of those in need in Jerusalem, as following Christ s example. The apostle writes, We want you to know, brothers and sisters, about the grace of God that has been granted to the churches of Macedonia; for during a severe ordeal of affliction, their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part (8:1-2). That combination of words really is amazing their abundant joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity. Or, to use slightly different words, these saints lived their faith in such a way that brought abundance out of scarcity. Examples of Abundance in Mission The example of generosity among Macedonian Christians reminds us how important it is, always, to try to view the world through different eyes and, especially, when times may seem tough to us. Again, this is a matter that requires a faith perspective. The tendency in difficult times, of course, is to become preoccupied with our own problems. But the witness of our faith and the experience of our lives call us to resist that temptation, especially in those

3 26th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 3 Can we give thanks for examples of abundance, even in times and circumstances of scarcity? Do we understand that the presence of Christ offers gifts of far greater value than we can earn or deserve? Can we accept scarcity as an unlikely means to experience abundance but a means to that end, nevertheless? Will our commitment to God s world encourage us to share abundantly with those in need? tough times and circumstances. For instance, through the years I have been blessed to learn first-hand a bit about the people of Haiti and about Native Americans on reservations in South Dakota our informal and formal companion dioceses. On every visit to those places, I have been humbled by how little it takes for such people to live, in contrast to the extravagance of my own life. At the same time, I have witnessed the unlikely combination that St. Paul mentioned abundant joy and extreme poverty. From my observations, I would add abundant faith to this mix as well. Surely, among the people of Haiti and the Native Americans of South Dakota, we may see and appreciate abundance in scarcity. I need to add that we will hear a special report on Haiti relief efforts later in this convention. May we all continue to remember the people of that fragile land in our prayers and in our giving. Efforts to relieve hardship and to rebuild Haiti will require serious long-term commitments, on behalf of our Haitian brothers and sisters in Christ. I pray that we will remain faithful to that task. Abundance in Time We begin to notice that the lens of our convention theme offers us a broader view than of financial resources alone. I suggest that we may also consider the subject of time in similar terms. For instance, our tradition is that Jesus public ministry lasted for only about three years. Yet, out of that brief time, Jesus ministry transformed the world. Thus, abundance in scarcity applies to time as well as other resources. Thinking in these terms, I remember a professor from my seminary days and this memory comes to mind for reasons that will become obvious. I was part of two different classes with this professor, and to tell the truth, the first class was not very good, in my opinion. In fact, I was not happy about being assigned to him for the second time. However, during the initial session of that second class, he reminded us that he was retiring at the end of that year. And, therefore, he said to us, You are going to get the best I ve got. We did and the experience was wonderful indeed. Abundance may be experienced in scarcity, therefore, in terms of time. Abundance at Grace Point Grace Point has not been blessed with all the resources we had hoped for, years ago. As a result, the development of our camp and retreat center has been slower than we had envisioned. We adopted a pay as we go policy toward development, which actually has served us well. However, our facility is far from complete. Photo by Vikki Myers Convention attendees gave Bishop vonrosenberg a standing ovation following his annual address. In the address, the bishop highlighted several examples of abundance in the diocese, while recognizing financial challenges. Bishop vonrosenberg said,... In God s abundance, we need not fear scarcity. Indeed, God s abundance knows no bounds. Abundance in scarcity may represent our best, most faithful witness today... In our eight years of operation, though, hundreds of campers have had their summers enlivened and their faith, enriched, as a direct result of the people and programs of Grace Point. Vestries and youth groups, Cursillos and women s retreats, and many, many other communities have become aware of God s presence and power at Grace Point. Protestant and Roman Catholic children from Northern Ireland, Appalachian children and youth, Hispanic street people, Camp Billy Johnson for underprivileged kids, children of incarcerated parents, Native American youth from South Dakota possibilities for outreach at Grace Point only are restricted by the limitation of our vision. Abundance in scarcity is alive and well at Grace Point! Diocesan Budget Abundance In recognition of financial challenges, the asking from churches to support diocesan ministries was significantly reduced this year. Bishop and Council made the conscious decision to live within more limited means, in hopes that local mission would be enhanced and that individual churches would cooperate, in support of our common diocesan ministry. For the most part, diocesan churches have cooperated, as they are able, and we are grateful. The scarcity which confronts us provides opportunities for abundant mission and ministry, nevertheless. The abundance of our response will be guided by our Lord, who became poor to serve those in need. Conclusion These times present us with tests of many sorts. Surely one test involves stewardship how we use the resources with which we have been entrusted. To the extent that our convention theme describes reality as we perceive it, then we have before us also a test of faith. As I said earlier, the perspective of our theme does require of us the eyes of faith. Some questions for our faith at this time might be these: Can we give thanks for examples of abundance, even in times and circumstances of scarcity? Do we understand that the presence of Christ offers gifts of far greater value than we can earn or deserve? Can we accept scarcity as an unlikely means to experience abundance but a means to that end, nevertheless? Will our commitment to God s world encourage us to share abundantly with those in need? My friends, such questions of faith nudge us toward the abundance of God Almighty. In God s abundance, we need not fear scarcity. Indeed, God s abundance knows no bounds. Abundance in scarcity may represent our best, most faithful witness today, in our time. However, even as we live our lives of faith now, we can only begin to experience the abundance that God has in store for us all. May God continue to bless us on the way! Audio of the bishop s presentation is available at the diocesan convention web page at Abundance presumes that blessing and abundance come from God. It s not about overcoming scarcity or safeguarding against it. The presumption of abundance gives us an idea of what God has in store for us. The Rt. Rev. John Tarrant, Tenth Bishop of the Diocese of South Dakota

4 4 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION 2010 budget approved at Convention Spirited discussion on Campus Ministries; talk of further reductions w By Nancy Ledford Delegates to the 26th Annual Convention of the Diocese of East Tennessee approved a balanced budget of $1,718,661 for An early convention resolution ratified Bishop and Council s actions modifying the 2009 budget. While certain items of the 2009 were exceeded, the total expenditures were less than the budgeted total. The total expenditures for 2009 were $1,715, 281 versus the budgeted $1,746,256. When opportunities came that we could save money, we did, said Don Sproles, treasurer of the diocese. The 2010 budget reflects the recent decrease approved by Bishop and Council for voluntary commitments from parishes to the diocese. According to Sproles, this is the third decrease in the voluntary asking in 11 years. This year s askings were reduced dramatically, he said. The suggested percentage of a parish s operating budget had ranged from 11 percent to 18 percent. For 2010, the range is 10 percent to 12 percent. Each church s askings were calculated based on 95 percent of the amount actually contributed over the past three years, leaving very little wiggle room in this budget. The changes were made to leave more money at the local parish level for mission work as well as to encourage all parishes to meet their full asking amount. As we stand now, we are not meeting our 2010 projected budget, Sproles said. There are some parishes who have not yet indicated they will meet their full asking amount. Sproles and Mary Berl, diocesan administrator with responsibility for budget, held a hearing on Friday where several delegates spoke to proposed line items. Most of the discussion centered on Campus Ministry, which was cut from $119,308 in 2009 to $68,563 for Delegates expressed grave concern at the decrease that will result in losing the Episcopal presence on our campuses. Of specific concern was the lack of an Episcopal priest on the campus at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. Currently, a Lutheran seminarian serves the programs at University of Tennessee-Knoxville s Tyson House. Sproles pointed out that program funding had not been cut. Although the diocese is partially funding the salary of the Lutheran seminarian, the decrease reflects that it is not paying a full-time priest as chaplain at Tyson House. The hearing attendees requested that Sproles relay their concerns to the full convention. The Rev. Chris Harpster, deacon at St. Paul, Kingsport, serves the Episcopal University Ministry at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City; and the Rev. Bob Leopold, assistant to the rector for College and Young Adult Ministries at St. Paul, Chattanooga, serves as Episcopal chaplain on the campus of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. We had a spirited discussion in the budget hearing, Sproles began his report to the full convention on Saturday. The sentiment in the room was especially passionate on two points: the campus ministry line item decrease and the delegates disappointment that there was not full participation in the voluntary commitment, even in light of the Bishop and Council s reduction. Sproles presented the budget for a vote, mindful of the economy today and the financial challenges of our churches and also knowing that the Bishop and Council may need to adjust as we move forward. n Diocese of East Tennessee Budget 2010 Potential for additional budget modifications Following the convention, Bishop vonrosenberg, in a letter to diocesan clergy, lay leadership and parish staff, outlined an additional $58,198 in probable budget modifications. The changes are anticipated because despite significantly reduced askings, commitments from parishes have fallen short of expectations. The bishop wrote,... The additional cuts will detract from programs and ministries. To highlight a couple of matters, these cuts will mean that we cannot help support seminarians after they graduate. Also, it was pointed out at the pre-convention meetings that our diocesan house really is not new any longer; however, these cuts will mean that we are not planning for maintenance break-downs that will surely occur. Finally, support offered to congregations, in various ways, will be cut, across the board. Some churches are doing their very best to meet their commitment to our common ministry. We know that, and we appreciate it, believe me. However, others through habit or inattention have fallen into patterns of giving that indicate inadequate care for the commitments we share as a diocese. I challenge those churches to have another look at their participation in this part of the Body of Christ. n

5 26th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 5 BISHOP AND COUNCIL Elected: Ms. Arline Caliger, parishioner, St. Francis, Ooltewah (2013) and Mr. Cameron Ellis, parishioner, St. Stephen, Oak Ridge (2013). Bishop and Council will select additional needed members per diocesan Constitution and Canons. Continuing members: The Rev. Dr. Hal Hutchison, rector, St. John, Johnson City (2012); the Rev. Bob Leopold, assistant-college and young adult ministries, St. Paul, Chattanooga (2012); Mr. John Hicks, parishioner, Christ Church, Rugby (2012); the Rev. Charles Fels, rector, Good Shepherd, Knoxville (2012); Ms. Linda Graydon, parishioner, Nativity, Ft. Oglethorpe (2012); Mr. Bunky Seay, parishioner, St. Christopher, Kingsport (2012); Dr. Bob Strimer, parishioner at St. James, Greeneville (2011); Mr. James Johnson, parishioner at Christ Church, Chattanooga (2011); Mr. Bob Wadley, parishioner at Ascension, Knoxville (2011). STANDING COMMITTEE Elected Filling unexpired terms: The Rev. Peter Keese, supply priest at Christ Church, Rugby (2011); Ms. Andrea Odle, parishioner at St. Paul, Chattanooga (2011). Elected for Full terms: Ms. Christopher Robinson, parishioner at Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain (2013); the Rev. Scherry Fouke, rector at All Saints, Morristown (2013). Continuing members: Dr. Walter Williams, Jr., parishioner at St. Luke, Knoxville (2012); the Rev. Lou Parsons, rector at St. Francis, Ooltewah (2012). COMMISSION ON MINISTRY Approved by convention: The Rev. John Mark Wiggers, rector at St. James, Knoxville; the Rev. David Garrett, rector@ Annunciation, Newport; the Rev. Kay Reynolds, retired, and the Rev. Janice Robbins, deacon at Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain. Continuing members: The Rev. Maggie Zeller, priestin-charge at St. Christopher, Kingsport (2012); Ms. Anne Hayward, parishioner at St. Andrew, Maryville (2012); Dr. Elsbeth Freeman, parishioner at St. John s Cathedral, Knoxville (2012); Mr. Bert Ackermann, parishioner at Ascension, Knoxville (2012); the Rev. Suzanne Smitherman, assistant at St. Paul, Chattanooga (2012); the Rev. Larry Beach, deacon at St. James, Knoxville (2011); The Rev. Hendree Harrison, rector at St. Paul, Athens (2011); Ms. Jennifer Paden, parishioner at St. Peter, Chattanooga (2011); the Rev. Betty Latham, rector at Nativity, Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., (2011); Ms. Diane Strimer, parishioner at St. James, Greeneville (2011). TRUSTEE, UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH Elected: Ms. Lee Phillips, parishioner at St. John, Johnson City (2013). ELECTIONS Continuing members from East Tennessee: Robert G. Norred, Jr., parishioner at St. Peter, Chattanooga (2012); the Rev. Hugh Jones, priest in charge at St. Thaddaeus, Chattanooga (2011). GRACE POINT CAMP AND RETREAT CENTER BOARD OF MANAGERS Appointed filling unexpired terms: The Rev. John Wilson, retired, St. Stephen, Oak Ridge (2011); Mr. McKenzie Hardt, parishioner at St. Stephen, Oak Ridge and student at ETSU (2011). Appointed for full terms: Ms. Martha Terrell, parishioner at Good Samaritan, Knoxville (2013); Mr. Richard Spence, parishioner at St. Joseph the Carpenter (2013; Ms. Sonya Minarik, parishioner at St. Francis, Norris (2013); Mr. John McElroy, Parishioner at Ascension, Knoxville (2013); Ms. Annette Anderson, parishioner at St. John s Cathedral, Knoxville (2013). Continuing members: Mr. Harry Wade, parishioner at Good Shepherd, Knoxville, (2012); Mr. Mike Gray, parishioner at St. Timothy, Signal Mountain (2012); the Rev. Robert Childers, rector, Good Shepherd, Lookout Mtn. (2012); Mr. Bill Fryar, parishioner at St. John, Johnson City, (2012); Mr. Ben Alford, parishioner at Good Samaritan, Knoxville (2012); Mr. George Dixon, parishioner at Ascension, Knoxville (2011); Mr. Fred Fields, parishioner at St. Francis, Norris (2011); Mr. John Woody, parishioner at St. Paul, Chattanooga (2011). ECCLESIASTICAL TRIAL COURT (terms expire 2015) Lida Barrett, parishioner at Ascension, Knoxville; the Rev. Craig Kallio, rector at St. Stephen, Oak Ridge; the Rev. Art Bass, deacon at St. Luke, Cleveland. OFFICERS (elected annually) Secretary of the Convention: The Rev. Canon Stephen Askew of the diocesan staff. Assistant Secretary: Ms. Laura Nichols of the diocesan staff. Treasurer: Mr. Don Sproles, parishioner at Good Samaritan, Knoxville. Assistant Treasurers: Mr. Joseph Bacon, parishioner at St. John s Cathedral, Knoxville; Ms. Merry Keyser, parishioner at St. Stephen, Oak Ridge. Chancellor: Ms. Sarah Sheppeard, Esq., parishioner at Good Samaritan, Knoxville. Vice Chancellors: Mr. Thomas Peters, Esq., parishioner at St. Timothy, Kingsport; the Hon. Neil Thomas and the Hon. Marie Williams, parishioners at St. Paul, Chattanooga; Mr. Chris Cone, parishioner at St. Andrew, Maryville. Registrar: Ms. Mary Berl, parishioner at St. Elizabeth, Farragut. n Parishes demonstrate Abundance in Scarcity More than 350 Episcopalians gathered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Knoxville to celebrate the richness of ministry and God s abundance at the Diocese of East Tennessee s 26th Annual Convention Feb. 12 and 13, under the theme of Abundance in Scarcity. The convention was marked with inspiring speakers, including the Rt. Rev. Charles vonrosenberg, third bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee, the Rt. Rev. John Tarrant of companion diocese of South Dakota and the Rev. Anthony Bailey, from Ottawa, Canada, as well as reports about the good work being carried out in East Tennessee parishes, interwoven with a showing of Traces of the Trade and celebration of Absolom Jones day at Saturday worship. Despite the downturn in the economy, mission and ministry are thriving and convention goers were treated to video segments highlighting parish examples of shared abundance in local communities at each transition point during the convention. Some of these are shared in the following snapshots from convention. The stories were written by Mary LeMense, with contributions from Nancy Ledford; photographs were provided by parishes. St. Paul, Athens No such thing as a free lunch. The people of St Paul, Athens disagree. Each Wednesday the sign goes out front, Free Lunch: Soup and Service. The doors open wide to welcome the community. The idea blossomed from an Outreach Committee brainstorming session more than a year ago. With so many in need, the free lunch is just another way the church reaches out to the community. Even with attendance ranging from 15 to 40, the volunteers at St. Paul never seem to run out of homemade soup. The big pots are filled with whatever comes forth from venison to pork necks to something called swamp stew. Everyone pitches in; from sandwiches to sweet treats; the parish provides. People from all walks of life come for the lunches some could afford to eat where ever they like and some are homeless. Recently a lunch-time knitting circle has been added to the Wednesday Free Lunch. The group has knitted shawls and blankets for those who are ill. Don t know how to knit? They will teach you. The Rev. Hendree Harrison has said with a chuckle, Bring a spoon and a knitting needle and if you don t have either we will provide those too. PARISHES continues on page 6 L i v i n g A b u n d a n c e i n S c a r c i t y

6 6 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION L i v i n g A b u n d a n c e i n S c a r c i t y PARISHES continued from page 5 St. Paul, Kingsport Abundance was evident at St Paul, Kingsport, as they hosted their annual Community Christmas Day Dinner. Guests were greeted at the door with smiles and hugs. Volunteers served a traditional Christmas Day meal of turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans followed by homemade goodies and desserts. As church members and musicians from East Tennessee State University Music Department filled the air with the Spirit of Christmas, more than 350 meals were served, the largest in the event s history. Children attending the dinner were delighted with gifts of toys donated from community businesses. St. Paul s Christmas Day Dinner was truly an abundance in action as church volunteers, community organizations and businesses joined together to share the joy of Christ s birth and the abundance of God s love for all His people. CHASE continued from page 1 Harry Chase, parishioner of St. James, Knoxville, winner of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Award celebrating lay ministry a summer camp. Since retiring from business in 1998, he has worked hard to break the cycles of generational poverty which trap and isolate children, often times just outside official organizations reach. Chase, a longtime member of the Appalachian Ministries Resource Team of the Diocese of East Tennessee, began working in Central Appalachia in 1999, running drives to furnish backpacks filled with school supplies to Campbell County schools. His ministry as an advocate for women and children of the Jellico, White Oak and Rose s Creek area in the mountains of East Tennessee has grown substantially in the past several years. His years of work in the region allow him to recognize the enormity of the problems and the difficulty of effecting change in the area, while he works one day at a time to help as he can. Each summer, Chase holds an enrichment day camp in Jellico for children considered by the schools to be at-risk and coordinates a yearly three-day overnight camp session for these children at Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center of the diocese. Chase also serves as a court-appointed special advocate, working with the Department of Human Services in cases involving children. Through his affiliation with the all-volunteer Mountain Women s Exchange, he became aware of the absence of adequate day-care. Chase spearheaded development of a facility, and, through grant funding and support from several Episcopal parishes, the state-licensed Maple Tree Learning Center was put into operation in He has become a state-certified child care worker, allowing him to work five days a week at the day-care center. I remain independent, explains Chase, because it detaches me from the formalities and history attached with formal establishments. Over the years groups and individuals have come in, tried to solve a problem, and left without achieving their aims. Cycles of coming in and backing out have created a wall of distrust of outsiders and residents. There continues to be a lack of knowledge about the gravity of the social problems that exist. Chase has chosen that the $1,000 that comes with the award will be given to the Mountain Women s Exchange to help continue his ministry at the day care center. The funds were about to run out when I got the call about the award, Chase said, Talking about the Maple Tree Learning Center, Chase said, It s my joy to go there every day; it helps counteract some of the other things I see. It s an environment of loving and caring and learning the children get a chance to recognize these things when they most likely have not been exposed to them at home. To get more information about these ministries in Central Appalachia, contact Harry Chase at or hgchase@yahoo.com, or contact Appalachian Ministries Resource Team chair, Mary Rhoades at maryr@comcast.net or To read the announcement from Virginia Theological Seminary and to learn more about this important award, go to: &nid=587179&bl=/default.asp. n Resolutions modify Constitution and Canons, recognize EAM, support General Church St Thomas, Knoxville Last fall, after a good deal of talking and planning, gardeners among the St Thomas, Knoxville, faithful took advantage of their abundant land and began preparations for a community garden. A nursery had once operated on the property so the land was known to be rich. When planting season arrived, silver queen corn, squash, green beans and tomatoes of 6 varieties were set out in neat rows. Leaves from the property were used as mulch and when they had the misfortune of a water line break at the Church, the run off water was collected and used in the garden just being good stewards of the earth the gardeners said. About July, the parish began enjoying the fruits of their labors. The produce was made available to friends, neighbors and co-workers anyone in need was welcome to pick as needed. St. Thomas has a history rich in food ministries. The Norwood Pantry of FISH Hospitality Pantries is housed there. A food collection freezer was added several years ago to preserve food for distribution. Nothing from the gardens went to waste - that which was not consumed fresh was frozen and added to the freezer aptly named the Fishes and Loaves freezer. PARISHES continues on page 7 Among resolutions passed at the diocesan convention were adoption of the first Sunday in Lent for Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday in the diocese, and designation of a special Sunday as Episcopal Appalachian Ministries Sunday date to be chosen by the bishop. A resolution changing the size of Bishop and Council passed, as well as a change relating to the episcopate search process, moving the task of publishing profiles of bishop nominees from the Transition Committee to the Search Committee. Two diocesan resolutions were adopted that were based on resolutions introduced at General Convention last year. The first, a resolution supporting Peace with Justice in Gaza, based on General Convention resolution B027, was passed, although B027 narrowly missed adoption at General Convention. Diocesan convention also passed a resolution that the diocese adopt 2009 General Convention resolution D060, Reject Nuclear Options. The language of Title VI of diocesan Constitutions and Canons was brought into conformity with title IV, of General Canons, which were changed at General Convention. Title IV is the disciplinary canon of The Episcopal Church; the disciplinary canon of the diocese is Title VI. A resolution regarding Support of a Single Payer Universal Health Care Program was defeated. Convention delegates did not feel that the diocese needed to adopt a different resolution on health care, since the diocese passed a resolution regarding health care coverage for all in 2009 and has provided a discussion guide about the topic that is available to the entire Church. A resolution titled, Rethinking Strategy in Afghanistan, was also defeated; delegates commenting on the resolution during discussion felt the language of the resolution was too vague. Resolutions are available at the diocesan convention web page:

7 26th ANNUAL DIOCESAN CONVENTION The Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey, Coordinating Minister at Parkdale United Church in Ottawa, Canada, spoke and preached at the diocesan convention. Originally from Barbados, he has lived and served in Canada, Kenya, and Jamaica and has academic degrees in social work, theology, the philosophy of religion, and ethics and culture. Photo by Don Myers We were never meant to have it all Convention guest speaker, the Rev. Dr. Anthony Bailey explored the theme of Abundance in Scarcity in a challenging and compelling address on Feb. 12 and in a sermon on Feb. 13. Bailey s talk on Feb. 12 explored the myth of scarcity: We fear that there is not enough to go around. When we can find relief from fear, we find the ability to unclasp our hands and find that things are flowing out, he said. Using the example of the Lord s prayer, Bailey discussed the phrase, Give us this day our daily bread He noted the significance of the words, us and day. Bailey said, We recognize, in such praying, our interdependence and interwoven relationship with the people of the world. How do we get our daily bread, he asked. Who grows the wheat? Who harvests the wheat? Who mills it? Who bakes the bread? Who packages it? Who transports it? The economic relationships in that prayer remind us how we are to share life so that all have enough. Give us, not me. Let everyone benefit from the bounty of God economically, justly. Bailey discussed how fear feeds into the feeling of scarcity. He said, It s not an accident that there are 365 references in our bible in one form or another of Do not be afraid. We need to be reminded every day about fear fear drives us. Fear that we are not enough; fear that we won t have enough. Abundance means that everything is already provided. All is already given in order that all of creation have enough not too much, but enough. Practically, abundance theology countermands fear and renders us less attached to things and possessions. It tutors and nurtures us in the ways of spending our lives and resources generously. So abundant living is an act of praise and trust in God. It recognizes that there is and that there will always be enough. In his Feb. 13 sermon, Bailey challenged those gathered regarding the history of Haiti and the impact of the devastating January earthquake, as well as a focus on anti-racism at the convention. Is what we re doing today contributing to the turning of the world or are they just words? Haiti didn t get where it is by accident, he said, expounding on some of the complex historical, political, social, and economic conditions that contributed to the magnitude of the destruction in the country. About incorporating Absolom Jones day into the Saturday worship, Bailey acknowledged the importance of recognizing the accomplishments of African Americans, but he asked, Why isn t it commonplace? Giving examples of the many contributions to civilization and to history by people of color, he asked why they are not included in history books. He asked if anyone in the room knew that one book in the Bible (Zephaniah) had been written by a black man. We need to know the truth if we are to be friends of God, he said. The truth is like surgery it cuts to the bone. The Rev. Dr. Bailey recommended the book, God the Economist: The Doctrine of God and Political Economy, by M. Douglas Meeks PARISHES continued from page 6 St. John, Johnson City The Men of St John, Johnson City, are reaching out to the children of Appalachia by providing scholarships to Grace Point Summer Camp. While many of us have felt the sting of the current economic downturn, ugliness and deprivation are constant companions to families in Appalachia. The St. John s Men provide everything these campers need, from clothing to supplies so that the children can leave their worries behind and just be kids. Grace point is a welcoming place of peace and beauty. There, campers learn skills like archery, kayaking and swimming. They make crafts such as bird houses. They sing and share bible stories, especially those about children just like them. And, of course, they just have fun. All along the way they build memories and form relationships with counselors and other campers that can last a lifetime. Most importantly, these campers feel the love God has for all his children. There can be no greater gift. St. James, Greeneville Winters can get mighty cold in Greene County, where a number of families rely on wood burning stoves as their only source of heat. Two years ago Christ United Methodist Church began a small ministry of providing free firewood for heating assistance to needy families of Greene County. The men of St. James joined in the ministry this year. Working primarily on Saturday mornings, volunteers cut and split wood donated by individuals, tree cutting services and local utilities doing tree trimming. The wood is stored in an abandoned factory near downtown Greeneville. Other volunteers then deliver the wood on Saturday mornings and, as needed, through the week when new clients, needing wood immediately, are identified. The Fire Wood Ministry allows the Food Bank to save $60 per load which frees their limited funds for other services. Nearly 300 loads of wood have been delivered through the current winter, helping to keep families warm across Green County. Friday Night Dinners As a unique feature of Convention 2010, Friday Night Dinners in the homes of parishioners of the Host Parishes were offered. Fifty-six people took the leap of faith and signed up to have dinner in the home of a complete stranger with a group of others, most of whom were also strangers. Nine dinners were held all across Knoxville and at the end of the evening all were richer for the experience. As we shared in a meal, we also shared our thoughts on convention, stories of our lives and our children s lives. By the end of the evening we were strangers no more. Thank you to our dinner hosts: Janice and Harry Wade, Charles and Susan Fels, Bobbi and Max Grogan, Tom and Karen Ladd, Lida Barrett, John and Susan Pannell, Mary and Greg LeMense, St. Thomas Parish, and Pat Ezell. From Lida Barrett: The group in my home consisted of eight individuals from five different parishes in the diocese. It was a delightful evening. The group varied in age from the late 20s to the early 80s. We all shared a bit about ourselves, our thoughts on the convention, the state of the church and the diocese, and a variety of other Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 7 things. I have never had a group more helpful, filling glasses, getting the extra chairs needed, helping serve, insisting on helping load the dishwasher before they left. The evening was a wonderful addition to the Convention experience. When I read from my the Feb. 16 Henri J.M. Nouwen daily meditation from his Bread for the Journey, I knew exactly what was meant. In part it Lida Barrett said: The table is one of the most intimate places in our lives. It is there that we give ourselves to one another. When we say, Take some more, let me serve you another plate, let me pour you another glass, don't be shy, enjoy it, we say a lot more than our words express. We invite our friends to become part of our lives. We want them to be nurtured by the same food and drink that nurture us. We desire communion. Strange as it may sound, the table is the place where we want to become food for one another. L i v i n g A b u n d a n c e i n S c a r c i t y

8 8 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 Praying, Discerning, Asking, Writing, Planning, Organizing: We Begin A message from the Search Committee Chair How does a search for the Bishop happen? P rayerfully. The search begins with the prayerful discernment by a sitting Bishop who has announced his retirement. This begins a deep and wide prayer movement all across the Diocese and beyond. Our process began on October 19, 2009 when Bishop Charles vonrosenberg announced his intention to retire and called for an election. Carefully. The canons of the diocese establish a process for searching that maps out how it works from start to finish. Visit the Diocesan website for more about these canons. Inclusively. The process is designed so that everyone in the Diocese may be involved through surveys, meetings and walkabouts. Search and Transition committees are made up of both lay and clergy from all over the Diocese. For committee members, see p. 9 or visit our website at: Intentionally. The search can take place within a reasonable amount of time, with the election of our Bishop to be held on February 11-12, 2011 and the consecration scheduled for June 25, Methodically. The Canons allow for a process that begins with formation of committees for both Search and Transition. Committees began meeting in November, dividing such tasks as Education, Survey, Profile, Communication, Gathering, Interviewing, Visiting, Meeting and Greeting, Electing, and Celebrating. Promptly. The work of committees and sub-committees happens now. Constant communication is required and meetings are being held to plan for next steps and for future events. Bishop Search web site: Photo by Vikki Myers BISHOP SEARCH Lynn Schmissrauter, chair of the Search Committee provided vestments and a comment bag for the diocese s unknown fourth bishop at the diocesan convention Feb in Knoxville. The sign read, What would you like to tell our next bishop? If you missed the opportunity to comment at the convention, a survey is available at through March 28, and focus meetings with the Search Committee are scheduled in April. See p. 9.

9 BISHOP SEARCH Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 9 The Role of a Bishop The Bishop Search Transition Committee and Search Committee members were introduced by Standing Committee Chair, Cal Calhoun (at podium) at the diocesan convention Feb Transition Committee members L to R above are: the Rev. Scherry Fouke, Thom Rasnake, the Rev. Kim Hobby, the Rev. Maggie Zeller, the Rev. Jay Mills, Larry Beach, Mike Keene, the Rev. Robert Childers, the Rev. Kathyn Mathewson and Chancellor Sarah Sheppeard. At right, Search Committee members L to R are: the Rev. Donald Fishburne, the Rev. Hendree Harrison, the Rev. Lou Parsons, the Rev. Taylor Dinsmore, Margot Seay, Erik Broren, Zack Neyin, the Rev. Claire Keene, the Rev. Jocelyn Bell, Lynn Schmissrauter, the Rev. Chris Harpster, and Chancellor Sarah Sheppeard. The Bishop Search Committee Invites You to Participate in the Search Process in Two Important Ways: Photos by Vikki Myers 1. Attend one of the focus group listening meetings in your area: Middle East Area Thursday, April 8, 6:30-8:00 Ascension, Knoxville South East Area Sunday, April 11, 6:30-8:00 St. Paul, Chattanooga Upper East Area Tuesday, April 13, 6:30-8:00 St. John, Johnson City The bishops gathered at the 2008 Lambeth Conference undertook a study of what it means to be a bishop in the Anglican Communion, including The Episcopal Church. In the reflection document published at the conclusion of the conference, the participants defined the role of a bishop as follows: w To gather the whole community in celebration, presiding over the sacraments and ordaining new priests and deacons w To proclaim the Word of God as an apostolic witness to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ w To be a teacher, guardian and interpreter of the faith and the apostolic tradition w To be active in making and nurturing disciples w To be a shepherd (pastor) of the whole people of God, with a special concern for the clergy of the diocese w To be a prophetic voice for the voiceless As bishops, we are committed to the life of the Church, to the wider communities in which we minister and to civil society. We recognize that it is in our calling to be bridge-builders, reconcilers and symbols of unity, representing the local to the universal and the universal to the local, taking our place within a world-wide college of bishops across the communion and with the one Church of Christ. n A Prayer for Guidance Almighty God, giver of every good gift: Look graciously on your Church, and so guide the minds of those who shall choose a bishop 2. Complete the online survey available through our website: available from March 8 to March 28. If you do not have internet access, please contact your parish clergy for a paper copy or call: Margot Seay at or Lynn Schmissrauter at , for more information. for this Diocese that we may receive a faithful pastor, who will care for your people and equip us for our ministries; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer, page 818

10 10 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 Haiti Six Purple Shirts: Convention Hears First-Hand Haiti Story w By Nancy Ledford At 4:53 p.m., Jan 12, 2010, all Haitian lives changed forever. The lives of many Episcopalians in the Diocese of East Tennessee and throughout the Episcopal Church also changed as a magnitude 7.0 earthquake centered some 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and created devastation across the small island nation. Speaking at the convention, the Rev. Louisa Parsons, rector, St. Francis of Assisi, Ooltewah, and the Rev. John Talbird, retired rector, Church of the Good Shepard, Lookout Mountain, described the earthquake s immediate and ongoing impact on the Haitian people. Parsons is the diocese s representative to Episcopal Relief and Development; Talbird is the diocesan representative to Haiti. Talbird had arrived in Port-au-Prince that very morning. As chairman of the board of directors of Holy Cross Hospital in Leogane, Haiti, he was there to interview candidates for hospital administrator. Talbird and his wife, Mary, who is a nurse, have participated in many medical mission trips to Haiti, and they manage the hospital s guest house. They also serve on the board of directors of the Children s Nutrition Program of Haiti. Instead of staying at his usual hotel, he had checked into a hotel in another part of Port-au-Prince. I had never been in an earthquake, he said, but I knew immediately what it was. The building began to shake and creak. I ran outside and fortunately this older hotel made of wood and bricks was not damaged. Looking around, it looked just like a normal Wednesday morning in Port-au-Prince. And yet, two miles away, the Hotel Montana, where I usually stay, was now rubble. Several miles down the mountain in downtown, most structures were totally destroyed or heavily damaged. I have a Haitian cell phone and immediately tried to call my wife, but my phone didn t work, he said. But the next morning, it rang and it was Bishop Duracin calling to see if I was okay. The Rt. Rev. Zaché Duracin, bishop of the Diocese of Haiti, told Talbird that his house had been destroyed, his wife injured, and, I have nothing, but I am okay. Without his usual purple shirt with clergy collar, the bishop dressed as others in shorts and what shirts they could find, as he worked to help. But in the Haitian culture, it is very important that the leader look like a leader, Talbird explained. In the church in Haiti, it s very important that the bishop look like the bishop. So when the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori visited Haiti on Feb. 8, she brought with her six purple episcopal clergy shirts, along with three liturgical stoles, and pants and socks for Bishop Duracin. Supplies being provided now through Episcopal Relief and Development include filtration machines for water, tents, food and medical supplies. The Episcopal Commission of South East Tennessee scheduled a meeting at St. Paul, Chattanooga, on Feb. 25 for those interested in supporting and working in the Leogane area where contacts and relationships are already in place. When Haiti had been a companion diocese, the Church of the Good Shepard built a school in the area, which now serves as another point of contact for relief efforts. n I look at this as a baptism w By Jean Zaché Duracin A Lenten reflection from the Bishop of Haiti January 12 was a terrible day for the Haitian people. The earthquake left not a soul untouched. There is not a single family that did not lose a close friend or member: mothers, fathers, siblings, in some cases entire families disappeared. As for resources, we have next to nothing. The wreckage is beyond imagination. However, this situation delivers us into faith. I look at this as a baptism. We who are still alive have had the blessing of survival, but in many ways we have died to the ways of the past. We have the opportunity to rise up and start anew. In this moment of grief and mourning, life must continue. During this Lenten season, it is important for us in Haiti to turn inward and rediscover all that is just within us. It is imperative that we be reborn in this moment. We will live without the physical trappings of the church because we still have the same spiritual guidance, the confessions, the conversations, the reflections. We need faith. We must go forward with confidence and hope. The Haitian people are fighters. We will not give up. We must see within this situation the possibilities that exist. Jealousy, anger, hatred this is not the time for these. We turn to Jesus Christ, who did not fall into temptation; though he was in hard situations, he overcame death in victory. We await the resurrection of Christ as we explore what is found in this wreckage. Dear ones were lost, houses, clothes, possessions, memories lives are reduced to nothing. The church lost precious belongings, and the physical foundation of the state is in ruins. Yet, we Haitians are speaking to each other in new ways. We can look at each other with new eyes. We can create a society of respect and love so that we may truly live as children of God. This is how we can rebuild our country. We have also seen how other people other nations love us. The people of this Episcopal Church have sent countless messages witnessing sympathy. Knowing we are not alone gives us confidence in new life. We receive comfort and consolation in our relationships. My wife was injured in the earthquake and left to seek medical care. I cannot visit her. I miss her and wish she were here with me. It is difficult to be separated. But this Separation has given me solitude and has enabled me to reflect in a new way about how to proceed in a life founded in God as a Christian. It is natural to question, but we hold on in faith to God God who is always good, the God of infinite compassion. That we were struck by this tragedy does not mean God is not with us. He is here. We must always remember that God lives in this world. There is pain, but there is also joy. He gives us assurance not of the life that ends, but the life that is eternal. The earthquake did not diminish our worship, though it altered the places where it takes place. The church has not faltered and must now rise to a new role. Belief in Christ and love for our Lord carries us into a new phase of construction. We will raise new places to worship God. We are looking forward to a celebration of Easter; familiarity of religious practices sustains us. We give glory to God. We sing within the church of the world. We celebrate life with the same spirit we were given it. In the middle of all the deaths, there is a God of love and of life, and we must shout Alleluia with the living. From an interview with Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin of Haiti, conducted in French and translated by Cecily Hutton, assisting the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti and Episcopal Relief & Development in relief and recovery efforts in Haiti.

11 Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 11 NEWS FROM AROUND THE DIOCESE Episcopal Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Port Au Prince, Haiti, before and after the Jan. 12 earthquake. Do not forget your partners in Haiti Amessage dated January 23 from Father Kesner Ajax, Executive Director of the Bishop Tharp Institute, an Episcopal Relief & Development program partner. Dear Sisters and brothers in Christ, Please let me take some time to give you some update of the situation of Haiti and your beloved partners in the Episcopal church of Haiti. God has saved the lives of the bishop, the 32 active priests, 9 retired priests, the 6 deacons, the 17 seminarians, 3 nuns and the 4 missionaries and their families. All private houses have been damaged to some degree, but all churches, schools, rectories clinics, and hospitals from Croix des Bouquets to Miragoane are not permitted to be used. In Port au Prince and Leogane, all structures of the Episcopal Church have been completely destroyed. We cannot evaluate how many parishioners and staff members we lost. In the south, BTI is ok but the Saint Sauveur rectory is not safe to sleep in. The seminarians went back to their home town; one of them is a physician, and he has stayed at college St Pierre in Port au Prince to give first aid to the people. The Episcopal church of Haiti has set up more than 7 centers to support victims, mostly in the worst hit areas where the bishop is based with whatever supplies they have been able to receive. On behalf of Bishop Duracin the partnership program and the people of Haiti, I would like to begin to thank you for your continuing prayer and assistance, especially Episcopal Relief & Development and our brothers and sisters of the Dominican Republic who share our same island home. We appreciated very strongly the sacrifices of Canon Bill Squire, Dr. McNelly and other team members who flew across the Dominican Republic border to visit us. Your notes and s of sympathy are very important to us. Please continue to send your notes of encouragement. The Episcopal Relief & Development is doing a very remarkable work to support Haiti during the dilemma, both with emergency support and beginning to plan to be part of the rebuilding of The Episcopal Church in Haiti. You can see that Rev. Lauren and Dianne are encouraging you to share information about your work in Haiti. It is very important to cooperate in that survey, because while Port au Prince and Leogane areas are more directly affected by the damage, many victims are returning to their home towns to breath a little bit, find food to eat and a safe place to sleep. However, the movement of people from Port au Prince to the countryside is overwhelming our ability to provide for them, and no relief agencies are yet providing supplies to the countryside. Episcopal Relief & Development is working together with the bishop and a Haitian emergency commission of 15 people where The Canon Oge Beauvoir obeauvoir@steeh.org is the coordinator. Please continue to support Episcopal Relief & Development with your emergency support. Do not forget your partners in Haiti. You can still send money to your partners by check via lynx and your wire via Citibank. For two days all of the banks have been open in other towns in Haiti, and today they opened in Port au Prince. Remember when you send support to your partners; please copy me and also the diocesan accountant Mr. Frantz Antilus antf48@hotmail.com in order to facilitate the process. You already know what to do when you want to send your [funds] to Episcopal Relief & Development who are helping us a lot now. School will not open in the West department, but schools and universities will open soon in the other 9 departments and will welcome children and students from other departments. Thank you for your attention to my note, do not hesitate to ask questions: Ask for the state of your projects. Ask for your beloved friends if they are safe or hurt. I continue to serve as the partnership coordinator and the DJ O (Diocesan Jubilee officer) and Rev. Frantz COLE colefrantz@gmail.com serves as the development officer for the Episcopal diocese of Haiti. The Rev. Roger Bowen proger.bowen@gmail.com is still cooperating with me for the National Association Episcopal School. And Rev. Lauren Stanley merelaurens@gmail.com who assists in the Partnership and Development program will coordinate with Episcopal Relief & Development in USA. Thanks you all, may God continue to bless you. The Rev. Kesner Ajax Executive Director, Bishop Tharp Institute kesnerajax@yahoo.com Diocese of Haiti Photo by Lauren Stanley w Largest and fastest-growing diocese of The Episcopal Church w In Province 2, with the dioceses of New York, New Jersey and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe w The most populous diocese in the Episcopal Church w 83,000 Episcopalians in 169 congregations served by 37 clergy w More than 100 congregations damaged or destroyed w 254 schools, pre-school to university; four destroyed w Updates: Assist Haitian relief efforts through The Episcopal Church, Episcopal Relief & Development The Episcopal Church and Episcopal Relief & Development are deeply grateful for the outpouring of financial support and prayers for all those suffering in aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. Both organizations are raising funds to support the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti during this challenging time. The following outlines the different avenues for the dispersion of contributions. Episcopal Relief & Development: Episcopal Relief & Development is partnering with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti to distribute critical food, water and medicine and to provide tents for people in Port-au-Prince and other affected areas. The diocese is serving more than 25,000 survivors in over 60 mission sites in eight localities around Haiti. Contributions also will support long-term recovery efforts to help people rebuild their homes and livelihoods in the months and years to come. For more information, visit: To support emergency relief activities and long-term recovery programs in Haiti: Make checks payable to Episcopal Relief & Development w Write Haiti Earthquake Response Fund in the memo line w Mail to Episcopal Relief & Development - PO Box 7058, Merrifield, VA w Visit and select Haiti Earthquake Response Fund w Call , ext The Episcopal Church: The Episcopal Church has been an integral partner in Haiti for over 150 years. Almost all the facilities in the diocese have been impacted by the earthquake. For more information on the response to the devastation, visit: The Episcopal Church will work with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti to help rebuild churches, institutions and diocesan-sponsored programs that have been destroyed or severely damaged. To help rebuild churches and support institutional needs in Haiti: w Make checks payable to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. w Indicate donation is for the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti/Church and Facilities. Rebuilding: w Mail to: DFMS - PO Box Newark, NJ More Information / Giving Online Episcopal Relief & Development: Haitian Crisis: The Episcopal Church: The Haiti Page: http//

12 12 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 A Letter from John Tirro, Chaplain at Tyson House Episcopal-Lutheran Campus Ministry Iam writing for three purposes. First, I want to thank you, and especially Bishop vonrosenberg and Church of the Ascension, for lending us Fr. Brett Backus at Tyson House this past semester. It was a joy and a blessing to serve together as co-chaplains, especially as we had known each other at Tyson House some years ago, prior to both of our seminary educations. There was something very God-given about being reunited in this way. Thank you. Second, now that Fr. Brett is full-time at Ascension and I m moving up to fuller time at Tyson House, I want to report that all is well. We have wonderful students - many of them your children and siblings! - with strong gifts and interests in ministry (see below). In addition to wonderful students, we also have faithful support from several Episcopal and Lutheran congregations, who not only cook and serve Sunday evening supper, but also frequently stay to worship with us. It is especially joyful when teens and children come to be part of our shared life. Again, we thank you. We are richly blessed by your involvement here. Third, I want to extend an invitation. You are very welcome here. If there s ever a Sunday evening when your congregation doesn t have something else going on, please feel free to come worship at your UT Knoxville campus ministry. Because of its ecumenical nature, Tyson House is a wonderful place to get to know people from other congregations, both Episcopal and Lutheran. It is also a restful, peaceful place to recharge. Dinner is at 6:04 every Sunday that UT is in session, and worship begins when dinner is over (usually around 6:45), followed by dessert and conversation. Come and see! In God s grace, together with you, P.S. Here are a few of the things we've been up to. (There s quite a bit more, but this will give you an idea.) Worship w Sunday Evening Eucharist w Wednesday Noonday Prayer and Compline Study w Wednesday Night Bible Study w Thursday Transformed, an interdenominational fellowship/ theological forum (included a lively post-talk conversation in response to Christopher Hitchens, author of God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything ) Service w Wesley House Community w Children's Choir (formed and led by Tyson House students) w Wesley House After School Care (playing games with children) w Joy of Music Youth Music School (free violin and piano lessons for five children) w Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic (recording textbook materials for needy students) w Tim Kerrin Food Drive (a univer sity-wide, interdenominational event) Fellowship w Campus Scavenger Hunt w Ultimate Frisbee Event w Fall Pumpkin Carving/Halloween Party w Fall Christmas Party Retreat/Pilgrimage w Fall Retreat at Grace Point w Spring Rhythm of Prayer Pilgrimage Planning and Leadership w Resident Ministers (seven students living at Tyson House, maintaining facilities, hosting) w Peer Ministers (students provid ing care, initiating and hosting programs and events) w Liturgy and Life Team (students and chaplain coordinating worship and student life) w Music Leadership (oh so many music majors at Tyson House!) w Episcopal Southeastern College Conference participants w Diocesan Convention & Synod Assembly The address of Tyson House on the campus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is 824 Melrose Place, Knoxville. Web site: GRACE POINT CAMP NEWS HOW TO RESERVE GRACE POINT Anyone may reserve facilities for their use at Grace Point, the camp and retreat center of the Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee. Grace Point has hosted study and hobby groups, family weekends, day meetings, vestry and youth group retreats. Grace Point overlooks Watts Bar Lake near Kingston, Tenn. Nearly 270 acres of woods, hills, fields and two miles of shoreline offer plenty of space for boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, camping, picnicking, games, sports, reflection, meditation and worship. Rates are as follows: w Diocesan/parish groups, day rate: $50 minimum for 10 or fewer guests; $5 for each additional guest. Overnight: $22.50 per person, per night, with a minimum fee of $180 per group. w Non-diocesan/private groups, day rate: $50 minimum for five or fewer guests; $10 for each additional guest. Overnight: $30 per person, per night, with a minimum fee of $240 per group. w Rate for diocesan youth events/parish youth groups in the diocese, overnight: $12.50 per person per night. A $100 deposit is required within 10 business days of making a reservation. The balance is due upon departure from Grace Point. More information and directions are posted at: File photo by Ann Huston w By Julie Powell pring Birdsong at daybreak. Tiny green leaves on Winter-bare branches. Jonquils bobbing In conversation. Bulbs pushing blossoms Up through cold soil. White and pink dogwoods In the forest, Gentle waves at the shore. We bow our heads to Our holy Lord In Thanksgiving for This blessed season Of Spring. For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven CAMP SESSIONS Grace Point offers summer camp sessions throughout June and July. Each session is 1 week, except for session 5, which is a shorter session for very young campers - with parent or grandparent. Camp 1: June 4-9 Rising 10th Grade through 12th Grade Camp 2: June Rising 8th- and 9th-graders Camp 3: June Rising 6th- and 7th-graders Camp 4: June 27 - July 1 Rising 4th- and 5th-graders Camp 5: July 2-4 Rising 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-graders, with a parent or grandparent Summer Session: July Rising 4th- through 12th-graders Jim Muir Camp for Kids: July Camp rates: The cost for camp in 2010 is $375 per camper for sessions I through III, $325 for Camp IV and Summer Session, and $125 per camper for session V. If fees are paid in full by March 1, there is a $25 discount. If fees are paid in full by April 1, there is a $15 discount. There is a 10% discount for a second camper from the same family. Applications deadline is May 3; the registration packet can be found at: TO SUPPORT A CAMPER THROUGH THE DIOCESAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND: Make your check payable to Diocese of East Tennessee with the notation, Grace Point camp scholarship fund, and send it to: Mary Berl, Grace Point Scholarship Fund Diocese of East Tennessee 814 Episcopal School Way Knoxville TN Contact: Jim Powell, gracepoint@etdiocese.net

13 w By Jim Powell G R A C E P O I N T C A M P Free Day or Weekend at Grace Point but you have to work! There are plenty of opportunities for service to our Camp and Retreat Center. It doesn t have to be highly organized, just come, a family, a few friends or a group, young or old. We have projects for one day, or a weekend, some inside, some outside, some requiring skills, some unskilled and the Bishop says a room will be complimentary if you want to stay overnight or even two nights. Julie and I will provide a dinner or breakfast meal for you; you may want to pack a picnic lunch. Jim Powell, Interim Director of Grace Point Camp and Retreat Center When our nephew was here with his family over this past Christmas holiday, he said that when they visited their camp back home they always did service work as a part of their visit, so he asked, What can we do? The Lord knows that there are plenty of needs here! We equipped the family with loppers, small saw and pruning shears, and we went to the Ridge Trail to trim, cut and clear some of the summer overgrowth. The next day, they requested another project, having had so much fun on the trail. This time they went off to the area behind the main entrance road, to work clearing the invasive and non-native Chinese Privet. This project was more work. They made a great start, but did not all get all of it removed, and it is still on the list. Thanks, John, to you and your family for your good work, and the idea to put our list out to the diocese. Below is a partial list of projects for you to consider on your next visit. And the list goes on Call if any of the tasks below are not your cup of tea and we will find something for your cup. We can only book your room on a space available basis, five days in advance. n Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 13 Youth work on a trail at Grace Point. File photo by Ann Huston Grace Point Projects p. 1 OUTSIDE 1. Continue the Chinese Privet eradication program. This stuff is all over the place and needs to be removed. We have a lopper, pruner, rake and small hand saw. Bring your own equipment if more than 4 are in your group. All ages, unskilled. Any time, winter or spring. 2. Clear the fallen trees from Deer Draw Trail. Bring your chain saw or use ours. Skilled and experienced chain saw operators needed. Unskilled labor to move logs and limbs. Any time, winter or spring. 3. Restore and extend Stamp Creek Road Trail. Mostly the same equipment needed as paragraph #1 with the exception that a bridge/walkway needs to be constructed across a small creek. Bridge site is accessible using pontoon boat to deliver materials. Carpentry skills are needed to construct bridge/walkway. 4. Remove construction debris pile from behind barn. We need to order a container, or bring your dump truck, so the debris can be loaded into it to be hauled off. Strong backs needed; we can utilize the tractor s front end loader to dump the heavy stuff into the container. Tractor operator may need to be hired. Winter or spring. Unskilled. 5. Remove weeds/grass from flower beds at Commons, Retreat House and Chapel. This is never ending. You need to know the difference between a weed and flower, or bring someone who does know to supervise the less knowledgeable. Good warm spring day project. p Apply the sealer to the shelter at the pond/hayfield area. We have the sealer, paint brushes and ladders. Any warm sunny day. Unskilled, must be able to climb ladder and use paint brush. 7. Remove old barbed wire from around the shelter area. Bring your own side cutters and leather gloves. Unskilled. We can drive to the shelter. 8. Identify the plant materials around the Chapel and Commons so that they can be recorded on the planned survey that will be done this winter. Master Gardener skilled. 9. Install electrical switch, conduit, etc on street light at Chapel. Troubleshoot and repair street light at barn. Licensed Electrician. 10. Check fishing poles, spinner and casting rods and rig for summer camp. Must be experienced fisherperson. 11. Re-establish the worm farm. Must know worms. (The Rev. Canon Stephen Askew knows worms.) INSIDE: Retreat House: 1. Shampoo carpet, rent machine, 2 or 3 people, one day. Need to be able to move furniture. Schedule work on a weekday as most weekends are booked. 2. Clean storage closets and organize or get rid of mess. 3. Clean, seal porch floor. This is almost inside. p Clean glass. 5. Install emergency lights (2), one up and one down. Licensed Electrician. 6. Inventory library, it has been organized; now we need to put the list of books on the web site. Computer, excel program, all you need to do is copy book name and author, know excel and be able to read, write and type. Commons: 1. Strip and seal floors, 1st and 2nd floors. 2 to 4 people, we have an expert that can help. 2. Wash windows. Unskilled. 3. Service window AC units. Must know AC equipment. 3 people. Need to remove them from the windows. 4. Replace damaged window blinds. Clean remaining blinds. 5. Install emergency lights (2), one up and one down. Licensed Electrician. Tree Houses: 1. Replace molding in boy s shower, grind off glue and paint. One person. 2. Touch up floor paint in girl s shower. One person, creative painter. 3. Hang 8 blinds on high windows. Climb ladder and use screwdriver, 2 people. 4. Clean glass. To schedule your project, call Jim Powell,

14 14 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 PEOPLE AND MINISTRY Govan s diocesan responsibilities enlarging along with new title: Deputy for Ministry and Congregational Development During the recent diocesan convention, Bishop vonrosenberg announced a title and position responsibility change for diocesan staff member Rick Govan. He has been serving as diocesan Ministry Development Facilitator since April Rick and his wife, Lori, live in Chattanooga and are members of St. Paul, Chattanooga, where he serves on the vestry. Rick also serves on the boards of ECSET (Episcopal Commission Southeast Tennessee), St. Barnabas Senior Living Services, Rick Govan Hospice of Chattanooga, and the Dubose Scholarship Board. His diocesan satellite office is at Grace, Chattanooga, but he is frequently on the road travelling throughout the diocese working with clergy, vestries and congregations in the areas of ministry development and, now, congregational development. Recently the East Tennessee Episcopalian spoke with Rick about his diocesan work and his understanding of trends, opportunities and challenges facing congregations today and in the near future: You are beginning your eighth year on diocesan staff working with congregations in the area of ministry development of the laity. How is it going? Overall, I think we are experiencing some significant movement within the diocese in this area. We can point toward some specific examples of that. But, the church oftentimes moves very slowly and sometimes I do become a bit frustrated. My occasional frustration is driven mostly from my bias toward being proactive rather than reactive. What are some specific positive results? Isee real evidence that an increasing number of laity and clergy are truly embracing baptismal ministry theology - an understanding that the ministers of the church really are the laity, along with the ordained. In many parishes we are no longer giving lip service to the term lay ministry or ministry of all the baptized. This understanding and this dynamic was not as prevalent eight years ago. We have several parishes who have intentionally worked very hard toward engaging more of the laity for ministry needs and opportunities. Some have tweaked their infrastructure to better focus on ways and means to identify, affirm and support the parishioners in their respective ministries. We understand that discernment is essential for effective lay ministry, for helping parishioners develop a sense of call to ministry. Several parishes, therefore, have established a ministry discernment team or ministry support team to assist the vestry and clergy with this. We call it Shared Ministry; some dioceses may call it baptismal ministry, or collaborative ministry, or mutual ministry. Whatever it s called, the intent is to emphasize within the congregation on a sustained basis that we are all in this together; we are all partners in ministry. And, last year 11 Episcopalians from throughout the diocese were licensed to serve their congregations, along with the clergy, as preachers or pastoral care ministers. These folks worked very hard for four semesters in developing their competencies in Holy Scripture, homiletics, pastoral theology and pastoral care. They are very talented and dedicated preachers and pastoral care ministers who take their ministry responsibilities and assignments seriously. I m proud of them for leading the way for other church members within the diocese to consider God s call to these and other lay ministry opportunities. What are the biggest challenges faced in ministry development of the laity? Certainly, we still have a number of church members who feel that real ministry is the responsibility and prerogative of the ordained. This consumerism mentality is an extension of the secular world in which we live. Also, many of us live extremely busy, demanding and stressful lives. There often is very little time left in the week for ministry opportunities, even if the heart is willing. There remain some clergy although this is becoming less and less who have a difficult time letting go from the clergycentered, one man band model of church life. Yet, the reality is that too many clergy are spending a significant amount of their time doing things that they weren t trained or ordained to do. Clergy burnout is an ongoing Photo by Vikki Myers Rick Govan talks about holy conversations sharing of our stories - at the Small Membership Church Communications Gathering on Nov. 7 at Grace Point. Among the communications vehicles discussed were advertising, newsletters, e- newsletters, flyers, web, and social networking. In the background is an effective, but low cost, ad created by Rich Bailey for St. Mark, Copperhill. Other presenters at the gathering were Rich Bailey, Cyn Mobley and Vikki Myers. concern for all of us. I often say that an effort of ministry development of the laity for many parishes is as much about clergy wellness as it is about effective lay ministry. If more laity were truly empowered, it could release the clergy to spend more time focusing on their individual gifts and passions like preaching, or teaching, or pastoral care. Scripture, the prayer book, practicality, and emerging cultural dynamics all point us toward a church model that is much more a gathering of ministry participants coming together to be re-fueled, fed and supported, and not a model of folks simply gathering around an ordained minister with the expectation of being ministered to. I m convinced that in most congregations there are a number of under-valued and under-utilized laity. The church has a responsibility to assist these faithful parishioners in discovering their gifts, their ministries, and mobilizing them. Your new title now includes the term congregational development. What is the difference between that and ministry development? Ministry development efforts typically focus more on the individual. This includes determining congregational strategies and infrastructure to assist church members in developing a sense of call, discovering their gifts for ministry, providing opportunities to live into those ministries, and supporting them along the way. Congregational development, or redevelopment, looks at the larger system the congregation as a whole and determines its current needs, priorities, opportunities, and then works toward implementing strategies to meet certain objectives. But, to me, both of these areas are two sides of the same coin. I don t think we can expect to experience sustained congregational growth, health and vitality without an intentional commitment to on-going ministry development of the laity. The church s mission from the outset has never changed. But, the world around us is constantly changing, perhaps at a faster pace now than ever before. How does the church, how does the local Episcopal parish in East Tennessee live into its mission in an effective and relevant way in 2010? These are questions that every parish laity and clergy should be asking. I doubt that there is a parish today that is energized and dynamic that is going about their business of ministry exactly as they did

15 Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 15 PEOPLE AND MINISTRY Call to Lay Ministry regional conversations Adifferent approach is planned for this year s Ministry Conference. The diocesan office of Ministry and Congregational Development, in conjunction with the Commission on Ministry, will host regional conversations this spring about our church s Call to Lay Ministry. All of us are ministers - laity and clergy - and sometimes we need to have focused conversations about that, said Rick Govan, diocesan Deputy for Ministry and Congregational Development. These informal regional conversations are intended to touch on any number of topics that are relevant to the ministry of the laity in today s church and in today s world. Our ordained ministers frequently gather for conversation, fellowship and information swapping, so why shouldn t our lay ministers do the same thing? During these conversations, some of the topics that may be explored could include: discernment methods and spiritual gifts and talents discovery resources, education and training process for the canonical licensed ministries (Preacher, Pastoral Care Minister, Worship Leader, Catechist, Eucharistic Visitor, Eucharistic Minister), Shared Ministry parish focus and infrastructure techniques, lay ministers boundaries and working relationships with clergy, outreach opportunities and needs, clustering and alternative models of parish ministry. Also planned is to have comments and observations of successes and challenges from regional lay ministers and Shared Ministry Discernment Team (Ministry Support/Development Teams) members. We ll come together for a couple of hours on these Saturday mornings and see where the Spirit moves us, Govan said. It is hoped that by offering these events regionally, it will be more convenient for interested laity and clergy throughout the diocese to attend and participate. This is also an excellent opportunity for those who are discerning a call to ordained ministry to further explore the importance of the role of the laity in today s church. No registration is required. All the attendees need to do is to show up, bring their questions, engage in the conversation, and enjoy the fellowship! Questions? Contact Rick Govan at rgovan@etdiocese.net or years ago. Like any organization, vibrant congregations change, tweak, and adapt to a changing world, a changing community, a changing target market. So why the title change? The reason for the recent change was simply because increasingly I found that while working with parishes on strategies for ministry development, there was oftentimes a natural and appropriate need to segue into congregational re-development conversations. Those conversations then led to specific work in this area. Bishop vonrosenberg and I thought that it would be best to officially recognize this diocesan resource by changing the job position description and title. What are some of the significant challenges that our congregations face today? Like all mainline denominations, we face challenges on a number of fronts. Overall, it seems to me that our diocese is in better shape than many others. We do not, however, need to be content and asleep at the wheel. I keep going back Call to Lay Ministry regional conversations 9:30 a.m. to noon (coffee/juice beginning at 9) April 17 April 24 May 1 Good Samaritan, Knoxville St. Thaddaeus, Chattanooga St. Christopher, Kingsport to being proactive. Certainly, we do have a number of parishes and worshipping communities that are small and struggling both financially and with church membership. These are very important places of worship throughout East Tennessee. They offer an Episcopal presence in their communities. Many provide generous financial and human resource contributions to local mission and ministry efforts. Some are dedicated to offering special programs to their communities. Also, several mid-size and larger parishes have recently found it necessary to reduce both lay and clergy staff. In far too many instances, our overhead costs are so significant that there is very little remaining for mission and ministry beyond the walls of the parish. Too often, we are becoming more internally focused. Our church membership is aging. I read somewhere recently that that the average age American is 32 and the average age Episcopalian is 62. Author Reggie McNeal says in one of his books (The Present Future.six tough questions for the Church; Jossey-Bass 2003) that many of today s churches are surviving off of the work, money and energy of previous generations. Another challenge is that today s culture is not as pro organized, institutional religion as we were in recent generations. Young adults today those in their 20s and 30s are oftentimes turned off by both our internal quarrelling and that most of our pledge dollars are being spent on building maintenance and salaries instead of mission. So, what does the future look like for Episcopal parishes in East Tennessee? Overall, I think that this is a unique and exciting time to be an engaged and active Episcopalian in East Tennessee. With Bishop vonrosenberg s calm and steady leadership in recent years, we have not become a bickering diocese that is focused on distractions that consume our time, energy and dollars. We are increasingly becoming more focused on mission, responsible stewardship, and the ministry of all the baptized. These are basic, foundational aspects of a healthy and vital diocese. That said, in order to remain relevant and fruitful, each of our 50 parishes and worshipping communities must be willing, I believe, to adapt to an ever-changing society. Some congregations have more work to do in this area than others. This is an appropriate and exciting time for some parishes and worshipping communities to explore alternative models of ministry, models that may include clustering, partnering, merging, and sharing of clergy and licensed lay ministers. Going forward, we will probably see more parttime, or bi-vocational, or non-stipendiary priests with parish oversight responsibility. We will continue to see, I pray, the laity becoming more engaged in leadership and ministry responsibilities. This will require an on-going commitment of the laity for specific academic and behavioral competency development, for which the diocese should be involved. I hope we, as Episcopalians, will become more comfortable with evangelism and less timid about entering into holy conversations with our neighbor, telling our personal stories about the relevance of God in our lives and the value that the Episcopal Church offers in nurturing our relationship with God. The Episcopal Church has much to offer and we need to tell our story more; there is no need for us to be the quiet Church. In fact, there s a need for us not to be so restrained. I m particularly excited about what is emerging with young adult ministries. Today s young adults are probably not any less spiritual than previous generations. What we see across the country and across the world for that matter is that they are much more focused on mission than previous generations. This is a good thing! Their connection with God is in the mission field and not necessarily in the pew. They do church while they are feeding the poor, caring for the elderly and sick, assisting refugee families. This is where they experience a life with purpose and also experience community. They oftentimes talk God stuff with each other at the neighborhood coffee shop. This is a tremendous opportunity for us, the institutional loyalists, to join them on their turf, and to minister with them, and to learn from them. We, in turn, can and should invite them to our parishes for worship and fellowship, for education and support. Yes! I m excited for the future of The Episcopal Church and for our diocese. I am comforted for who we are as a denomination and as a healthy diocese. I am thankful for this opportunity to serve and very much appreciate the support of our bishop, the diocesan staff, and many of the laity and clergy among us. I wish I were 25 years younger! Finally, what resources are available for congregations in the areas of ministry and congregational development? We have a very small diocesan staff, as you know. But we do have some valuable and effective resources available. For ministry development, I am available to work with clergy, vestries, and congregations in exploring and implementing Shared Ministry and the licensed canonical ministries. Those ministries are: Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Worship Leader, Preacher, Pastoral Care Minister and Catechist. Specific information about Shared Ministry and Licensed Ministries is available in two downloadable notebooks found on the Shared Ministry homepage of the diocesan website at www://etdiocese.net. Also, we are most fortunate to have two lay members from our diocese who offer their time and talent to facilitate spiritual gifts and talents workshops. Danese Sizer from Chattanooga and Ronda Redden Reitz from Knoxville typically conduct these workshops in conjunction with a parish implementing Shared Ministry. For congregational development, I am available to work with vestries, lay leaders and clergy. Also, we are currently forming a small group of clergy and lay members to serve with me on a diocesan Congregational Development Resource Team. We ll see where that leads us. Herb Berl, diocesan Stewardship Officer, and others from the diocesan Stewardship Commission are available to work with parishes in the area of stewardship and planned giving. The Episcopal Church website has an abundance of resources in stewardship, congregational development, and small church ministry at Also see the Alban Institute, and Forward Movement, n

16 16 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 Episcopal Appalachian Ministries office moves to Diocese of East Tennessee w By Nancy Ledford As the Rev. L. Gordon Brewer, Jr. begins his new part-time position as Executive Coordinator of Episcopal Appalachian Ministries (EAM), the official headquarters of EAM will move from Cincinnati to the offices at St. Paul, Kingsport. Brewer was recently ordained as a vocational deacon and is serving St. Christopher, Kingsport. Brewer succeeds EAM Interim Coordinator Michael Maloney, who was located in Cincinnati in the Diocese of Southern Ohio. EAM is appreciative of the office space now being provided by St. Paul s, he said. Originally named Appalachia South, the organization was established by the General Convention in 1964 to focus on the poor and neglected in the Appalachian Region. The Rt. Rev. William E. Sanders, eighth Bishop of the Diocese of Tennessee and first Bishop of the Diocese of East Tennessee, was its first board president. As dioceses in northern states joined, the organization changed its name to the Appalachian People s Service Organization and later to Episcopal Appalachian Ministries. EAM now represents a coalition of 10 dioceses in the Appalachian Region, identified as running from Southern New York State south to Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. The region claims parts of 13 states, including all of West Virginia. Today over 22 million Americans live in Appalachia, and the poverty level in the region is the highest in the country. Beginning with Bishop Sanders role, the Diocese of East Tennessee has a long and fruitful history with EAM. Sandy Elledge, St. Thomas, Knoxville, was a long-time employee and a former coordinator who retired on Jan. 1, In recognition of her service, the Elledge Scholarship Fund was established. The Fund provides for members of small Appalachian congregations in member dioceses to attend national or regional conferences and training events that will enhance their ministry and ministry development. The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonrosenberg is immediate past president of EAM. Currently, The Rt. Rev. W. Michie Klusmeyer of the Diocese of West Virginia is serving as president. The organization is governed by a board of directors made up of clergy and lay people from member dioceses. EAM publishes Mountain Echoes, a quarterly newsletter that goes to all congregations and diocesan offices in member dioceses and individuals and organizations who have expressed an interest in the ministry of EAM. According to Brewer, each diocese works with a unique array of ministries, many designed and carried out at the PEOPLE AND MINISTRY grassroots level. For the Diocese of East Tennessee, the Appalachian Ministries Resource Team serves as a networking and information clearing house for the Appalachian region. This Resource Team works directly with local service provider agencies, effectively connecting with existing networks. EAM has a very specific focus: In response to our baptismal vows, EAM serves a specific and unique region in America and manifests the love of God through education, advocacy and mission. Education Brewer describes the education focus as educating people about the needs of the poor and neglected in Appalachia. EAM works to educate local parishes and the 10 member dioceses to help them understand the unique challenges faced by the people of Appalachia. Appalachian Initiative Grants of $500 to $3,000 are available to diocesan, parish or community-based organizations in member dioceses. Successful applications will usually involve helping Appalachians address regional issues such as poverty, health care, unemployment, education, cultural affirmation or the environment through direct service. One such program is a summer program to feed children who during the school year have their breakfast and lunch provided free at school. Advocacy With a higher poverty rate than other areas of the country, Appalachia benefits from EAM advocacy efforts on many fronts. There are very unique needs among the poor in Appalachia, Brewer said. We have needs specific to rural settings where whole mountaintops are being scrapped off by modern coal mining, destroying and polluting streams and rivers. The new technologies used in mining have resulted in jobs lost. We also have needs specific to urban settings where people move to the cities for jobs but don t have the skills they need to find work. Current and ongoing advocacy issues include economic Photo courtesy of the Rev. L. Gordon Brewer different organizations. The Rev. L. Gordon Brewer, Jr. in his office at St. Paul, Kingsport. Brewer recently accepted the position of Executive Director of Episcopal Appalachian Ministries. EAM headquarters are moving to St. Paul, Kingsport. justice and environmental justice to protect the environment and promote sustainability. Social justice, education and health are also key advocacy areas, as well as economic development. A Directory of Advocacy projects affiliated with EAM illustrates a wide range of efforts being carried out by almost 20 Mission Core to EAM s mission focus are the three-week work camps held each summer. Based at Grace House in St. Paul, Va., the work camps attract participants from all across the country. They come to make improvements to houses in the Appalachian region so that the residents will have safer, more comfortable homes. It is a labor/learning program that includes home repair as well as mission work. Part of each work camp includes educational programs that deal with the social, economic and political challenges unique to the Appalachian region. Grace House is a ministry of the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, and EAM rents the facility for the three weeks. The Grace House director provides contacts and scheduling for EAM s work camps. While the needs are many and the service region is vast, Brewer looks at the work ahead with quiet resolve. If we look for the path God wants us to go on, it will open up, he said. One of my first efforts will be to strengthen the network for communicating among the 10 dioceses and the individual parishes. Gathering and sharing information is a priority. If people know the needs, we have seen over and over again that they will reach out to help. One of my key jobs is to get the word out and help bring people together to meet these needs. A native of North Carolina, Brewer has a B.A. degree in psychology from Mars Hill College and a M.Ed. degree in counseling with a concentration in marriage and family therapy from East Tennessee State University. He is a licensed marriage and family therapist in private practice and has worked for Youth Villages, a non-profit mental health provider for at-risk children and young people. He and his wife have one daughter. n Bishop s Committee on Inclusivity The Bishop s Committee on Inclusivity brochure is on the diocesan web site at The group, appointed, convened and chaired by Bishop vonrosenberg, has been meeting since last spring to seek discernment, pray, plan and work toward Inviting Reasonable and Holy Conversations on Same Gender Relationships. The brochure describes the work of the committee and includes space for questions, comments and suggestions for the committee s consideration. Contact information is in the brochure. Photo by Kelley Norrell Episcopal School of Knoxville About 450 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Brewington Family Lower School building. Bishop vonrosenberg officiated at the event which included students, faculty, staff members, and many friends of the school. Among these were Mary Ellen and Steven Brewington, for whom the building is named.the $3 million, 22,000 square foot building is scheduled for occupation in Aug.

17 Spring 2010, East Tennessee Episcopalian w 17 AROUND THE DIOCESE Bridge Refugee Services Needs Help w By the Rev. Taylor Dinsmore Bridge Refugee Services serving the Knoxville/Chattanooga area is in great financial difficulty. The influx of Iraqi refugees into the state of Tennessee has put a huge strain on the financial resources of the agency. Even though these Iraqi people being resettled are PRO-American, they are finding great difficulties because of their nationality. These are people who were forced to leave their homeland in fear of their lives because of their support of US troops and policies, yet people in this country are afraid of them. For the same reasons, they are not being adopted by churches and/or other agencies and they cannot find work and suitable housing. Bridge Refugee Services is funded by allocations from Episcopal Migration Ministries in the National Church and Church World Services. They are given $900 for each person being resettled, $4,500 of which goes directly to the refugee for food, clothes, medical expenses and household goods to set up an apartment. Bridge is then left with $450 to rent an apartment, pay a deposit, get the person settled and transport them to job interviews, health department, etc. Usually most of these costs are absorbed by the host church or organization, but since most of them have no sponsors, Bridge has had to upfront the money for everything. This year, more than 267 refugees have been settled by Bridge and over 400 are anticipated during this next year. I have been on the Executive Board of Bridge for the last four and a half years and this type of financial problem has never been experienced before, and it doesn t look like it is going to get better. If this is a cause that is close to your heart, please see if you can support them in any way. Donations may be made directly to: Bridge Refugee Services 7035 Middlebrook Pike, Suite A Knoxville TN info@bridgerefugees.org Phone: , Fax: Photo by Vikki Myers Bridge Refugee Services Director, Marilyn Bresnan, holds a child at the blessing of the new Bridge Refugee Services location on Sept. 18, The Rt. Rev. Charles vonrosenberg, the Rev.Charles Fels and Episcopal Metropolitan Ministries Director, the Rev. John Denaro, participated in the blessing. About 100 former refugees participated in the blessing and celebrated the new offices which have space for an anticipated learning center to help with language, computer skills and job hunting. The Rev. Dr. Daniel Matthews Keynoter for Women s Spring Conference April 16-17, 2010, DuBose Conference Center The Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews will be the keynote speaker for the joint Spring Conference of the women of all three Tennessee dioceses. His topic will be Grow in Grace. Dan Matthews has served in all three dioceses and was the rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Knoxville from As rector, but now retired, of 300 year old Trinity Church, Wall St., Matthews was an apostle of hope and healing for lower Manhattan after the September 11 attack as the district sought to rebuild itself. He appeared on the major TV news shows as an advocate for the church s post September 11 mission. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his leadership, and he has also been given four honorary doctorates, asked to preach all over this country, invited to preach at Canterbury Cathedral in Great Britain, and to preach in China. He is an outstanding speaker and one of the most distinguished priests of our time. The Spring Conference will be held April 16-17, 2010 at Dubose Conference Center. Registration will be 1-3 p.m., followed by the Opening Service with all three bishops. The conference ends Saturday after lunch. We hope you will join with us in spending time with Dan Matthews by completing the following registration form, and we look forward to seeing you there. n WOMEN S CONFERENCE REGISTRATION w Deadline April 6! Postmarked after May 1, a $10 late fee will be assessed. (No refunds on cancellations unless we can fill that space.) Please print your information on this form and mail it with your fee to the address below. NAME: ADDRESS: CITY, STATE, ZIP: PHONE: CHURCH: DIOCESE: ROOMMATE: Registration/Rooms/Meals (Please check one): Claiborne Hall Bishop s Hall (as available) Single: $107/person Double only: $105/person Double:$ 95/person ) VEGETARIAN MEALS Commuting participants: Registration fee $35 per person Commuters, please check any desired meals and add to total: $16 Friday dinner $8 Saturday breakfast $10 Saturday lunch Make checks payable to: ECW Diocese of East Tennessee Mail to: Ginny Galphin 15 Mountain Orchard Path Signal Mountain, TN Conference Contact: Nancy Tanner , nancybt@comcast.net ECW elects new board Photo courtesy of Katherine Stuart L to R front row: Courtney Zirkle, UTO Coordinator; Nancy Bosson, immediate past president and recipient of Honored Woman award; Bishop vonrosenberg, Patricia Brake Rutenberg, President Second row: Elizabeth Stiefel, Altar Guild chair; Annie vonrosenberg, Christian Missions chair; Gloria Nelson, member of Christian Missions Committee (chair ); Katie Piper, Historian/Spring Conference chair and past Honored Woman recipient; Nancy Tanner, parliamentian and past Honored Woman recipient Third Row: Becky Murray, Secretary; Alice Payne, Finance Tucker scholarship applications due May 1 Since 1988, more than 25 confirmed Episcopal women in the Diocese of East Tennessee have received a Mollie Hazen Tucker Scholarship to help them reach educational goals at accredited colleges or technical schools. The Tucker Scholarship is a one-time $1,500 grant for one year. Completed applications are due May 1, and the winner will be notified in June. For more information, visit etdiocese.net/ecw. To obtain an application, contact Cheryl Jones at or crjones68@live.com. Please put MHT in the subject line of requests. n

18 18 w East Tennessee Episcopalian, Spring 2010 CLERGY NEWS The Rev. Lou Parsons and the Rt. Rev. Charles vonrosenberg prepare for the procession that began the Celebration of a New Ministry for the Rev. Parsons held Dec. 13 at St. Francis Ooltewah. Photo by Gordon Moore Photo by Vikki Myers At the diocesan convention, new clergy, seminarians, postulants and candidates were introduced. L to R are: Steve White, postulant; Robert Hartmans, postulant; Ron Morton, postulant; Richard Carter, postulant; Mac Brown, postulant; Kirk LaFon, candidate; Caroline Vogel, candidate; Patricia Tanzer Askew, candidate; David Lovett, candidate; the Rev. L. Gordon Brewer, Jr., deacon, St. Christopher, Kingsport; the Rev. John Mark Wiggers, rector, St. James, Knoxville; the Rev. Steve Mosher, rector, St. Andrew, Maryville; the Rev. Leyla King, rector, Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga. Not pictured: the Rev. Wil Keith, Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain; Rebecca Edwards, postulant; Andy Oliva, postulant; Ellie Pickett, postulant; Chris Hackett, postulant Old, established parish makes a fresh turn Wednesday, February 3 inaugurated a new era in the life of Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga, when Bishop Charles vonrosenberg, instituted the Rev. Leyla K. King as the new rector of this long-established parish. After being without a permanent rector for over two years, the leadership of the congregation chose this young, fresh-from-seminary candidate to take the helm of the 105 year-old parish. The Rev. Dr. James F. Turrell, associate professor of liturgy, School of Theology and associate dean for Academic Affairs, School of Theology, University of the South, challenged all those present to support King in her ministry by living out their baptismal vows and fulfilling every Christian s calling as ministers of the Gospel. A beautiful reception followed in the parish hall where everyone enjoyed a elegantly simple meal of soup and salad prepared by parish members, coordinated by Donna Dickerson. The Rev. Leyla K. King is a recent graduate of Harvard Divinity School, and completed her undergraduate work at Dartmouth College. She is married to The Rev. Dr. Ben King, professor of Church history at Sewanee, School of Theology, The University of the South. w The Rev. Richard Shackelford is rector of St. Timothy, Kingsport. w The Rev. Leyla King is rector of Thankful Memorial, Chattanooga. w The Rev. Wil Keith has been ordained to the Sacred Order of Priests and is Assistant Rector at Good Shepherd, Lookout Mountain. w The Rev. L.Gordon Brewer, Jr. has been ordained to the Sacred Order of Deacons NOTES & NEWS Photo by Wallace Braud and is serving at St. Christopher, Kingsport. w The Rev. Kate Gibson is priest-in-charge at St. Matthew, Dayton, and is diocesan representative for the Friends of Jerusalem. w The Rev. Kay Reynolds retired at the end of December, and is available as supply clergy. w The Rev. Gene Smitherman retired at the end of January. The icon at right was painted by Jeannine Weeks about three years ago as a beginner to Icon writing. Weeks gave the icon to the Rev. Brett Backus, Ascension, Knoxville, for delivery to Cristo Pan de Vida in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, during a youth mission trip last summer. The icon is similar to the face of Christ that will be painted at the April workshop at Ascension, Knoxville. Photo by Jeannine Weeks OPPORTUNITIES Iconographer planning April workshop at Ascension, Knoxville Peter Pearson will again lead an icon workshop April 12-16, 2010 at Ascension, Knoxville. The total cost is $350, with an initial deposit of $100 which is due March 15. The remaining $250 is due at the start of the class. Checks are payable to the Church of the Ascension. The class will be completing an 11 x 14 icon of Christ. All supplies will be furnished and no previous art experience is necessary. The classes are held 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily. Please bring your own lunch and beverage each day. Contact persons are: Jim Phillips at and Jeannine Weeks at Peter Pearson is a leading American icon writer. He has created hundreds of icons for private collectors, churches, and other institutions throughout the world. Through his workshops and seminars, he has worked with more than 2,000 students. He teaches the Russian style of icon writing, using transparent washes to create depth and transparency in an icon. He has studied under Russian icon painters, has a Master of Divinity degree, and is author of the book, A Brush with God. n