A Letter From The President

Transcription

1 Episcopal Cursillo Newsletter Diocese of Olympia Fall 2013 In This Issue: President s Letter 1 Bishop Rickel liaison 2 Too many cooks 3 Volunteerism 4 Weekend information 5 Book Review Help, Thanks, Wow 6 Letter from Matt F. 7 Coming Events 8-4 th Day Nov 2, 2013 A Letter From The President DeColores, my name is Pat Carroll and I m honored to be the current president of the secretariat for this year. Some exciting things are going on within the Cursillo movement within our diocese. We ve got a co-ed weekend coming up this fall, the weekend will be held on October at St. Margaret s in Bellevue and Roberta Newell will be the Rectora. Please check the website, olycursillo.org, for details and other information about the upcoming weekend. Speaking of co-ed weekends, some are wondering whether we will we will ever have gender specific weekends again or just have co-ed weekends. We ve had much deliberation among the secretariat about this. The reality is we just don t have the candidate numbers to put on gender specific weekends at this time. We ve had a lot success with the co-ed weekends we ve put on so far. It is my hope that we will again have the candidate numbers to put on gender specific weekends. It would be nice to get back to a point where we had a waiting list of people to go to Cursillo. Hopefully with your help, we can. The spring 2014 weekend will be hosted by St. David of Wales in Shelton the weekend of May The leader for that weekend has not been chosen yet. The fall 2014 weekend will be at St. Mark s cathedral. Dates and leader for that weekend are also to be determined. I believe this will be the first Cursillo weekend (or least the first in a very long time) to be held at the cathedral. That will be very exciting for our community. Some other big and exciting changes are coming up next year with the way we market our weekends to the rest of our diocese. There will be more on this to come The Diocesan convention is coming up this fall and is scheduled for Friday-Saturday, November 8-9, at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma. We, the Cursillo community, would like to have a larger presence at convention. If you re planning on attending convention, wear your Cursillo cross proudly and if asked about your cross, please spread the word about the wonderful experience that you ve had in this movement. My father passed away in March so in the last few months I ve been reminded how fortunate I have been to have experienced the great love and fellowship of this community and how it has opened up new opportunities in my life. I made my weekend in 2001 and it has improved my life considerably. I believe it s made me a better person, a stronger leader in my parish and a stronger leader in my employment career as well. I don t know if I d be the same person I am today without the Cursillo movement in my life. I know many of you feel the same way. I ve heard others concur with me about the effect of this community has on them and that we are better people because of it. Why not spread this experience to those around us? We are called to spread Christ s love with others around us and I can t think of better way to share that love than sharing this wonderful experience with others. That s the goal of a Cursillo weekend; send the candidates back to their communities with a feeling of empowerment to do bigger things within their church and community. The reason we do this, put on these weekends, with all the meetings and preparation that goes into it, is because deep down inside, and because Christ compels us to, bring more people into this community, to give others the gift we have already received. To better ourselves and others and to help better the church and our greater communities. The Colors Fall 2013 Cursillo Movement, Diocese of Olympia Page 1

2 That s the point, that s the goal. We have to remind ourselves, and maybe a death in the family in enough to remind some of us, that we are part of a bigger picture, a bigger community, a worthwhile movement. Christ has called us to do big things, worthwhile things. To love one other and to show each other that we are loved. To serve one another and our communities. To encourage one another to tap into our own personal potential. That potential may be to be a leader in our church, in this movement, at work or even in our own family or community. That s what Cursillo is, a short course in Christianity, designed to show love to one another and to encourage one another in our faith. 15 talks and five mediations and prayer and sharing in our 4 th day. That s what Cursillo all about. Ultreya! Pat Carroll president@olycursillo.org News: Bishop Greg Rickel Appointed Bishop Liaison of Cursillo The Rt. Rev. Gregory Rickel, Bishop of Olympia, was appointed as bishop liaison to the Episcopal Cursillo ministry by the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Shori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church on June 5, He replaced the Rt. Rev. Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa, who has served as bishop liaison since Bishop Rickel attended Cursillo #41 in Arkansas and served as head spiritual director on two teams before accepting a call as rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas. He has been active in the Cursillo ministry since becoming Bishop of Olympia in September I am very honored to serve as Bishop Liaison for Cursillo in these upcoming years, said Bishop Rickel. Bishop Schori said in her appointment letter said I give thanks for the ministry of Cursillo in deepening the faith and relationship of Episcopalians with God in Christ. I made my Cursillo more than 20 years ago in Oregon, and understand the importance of focusing one s love of God as an agent of transformation in the world. I pray that Cursillo may continue to encourage and nurture faithful living as a disciple of Jesus. Bishop Rickel was elected the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Olympia on May 12, 2007, ordained bishop on Sept. 15, 2007 and installed on Sept. 16, 2007, at St. Mark s Cathedral in Seattle. Rickel has served the wider church as a stewardship consultant for the Stewardship Office of the Episcopal Church and for the Episcopal Network for Stewardship. He also served on the Resolution B004 Mission Funding Task Force and as an Episcopal representative to the Earth Charter meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. He is a trainer for the Climate Project. He has received training from the National Organization for Victim Assistance and has worked on disaster debriefing for the Arkansas Attorney General Office. At the time of his election, Rickel was the rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Austin, Texas. Previously he served as the vicar of St. Peter s Episcopal Church in Conway, Ark. He was ordained deacon in July 1996 and priest in January Before ordination to the priesthood he was a hospital administrator in Arkansas and Texas. Bishop Rickel embraces radical hospitality that welcomes all, no matter where they find themselves on their journey of faith. He envisions a church that is a safe and authentic community in which to explore God s infinite goodness and grace as revealed in the life and continuing revelation of Jesus Christ. As Bishop of Olympia he has articulated a vision with three main mission foci: congregational development, concentration on those 35 years of age and under, and stewardship of all creation. Bishop Rickel was born June 27, 1963 in Omaha, Neb., and has been married to Marti, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, since They have one child, Austin. You may follow Bishop Rickel's blog atwww.bishoprickel.com. The Colors Fall 2013 Cursillo Movement, Diocese of Olympia Page 2

3 Fall 2013: Co-ed Cursillo Weekend Action: When Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen is a Good Thing Cindy Remick When we were children we were taught how to cook in some form or another. Over the years we learned and taught ourselves how to do more and more in the kitchen. We have held parties, barbeques and dinners in our home for years-some are small groups of no more than 10; others have had attendance of over 60 people-of all ages and all dietary preferences. Why are we sharing this with you? Because of all the experience we have had cooking for large groups of people, none of that mattered when Larry and I were called to be Co-Chefs of a recent Cursillo Weekend. We d like to share with you what DID matter in bringing a Kitchen Team together. 1. Organization-We both have experience organizing, communicating and delegating. Our jobs require these skills on a daily basis. Organization is what makes the culinary aspects of a weekend seem so seamless. Our son is a trained Chef. All that means is that he is the boss so to speak yes, he cooks, but he spends the bulk of his work week organizing (creating shopping lists, assigning cooks to different tasks and ensuring preparation is ready at the time meals are served) 2. Connections-We have a wonderful Diocesan wide Cursillo community. Resources were at our finger tips. When we needed to know how to handle dietary restrictions someone ALWAYS knew someone who would help us. When we needed recipes, we found that chefs that have gone before us were more than willing to help. 3. Math-converting a recipe from service for 8 to service for 70 does not require large algebraic equations to create a recipe and shopping list.plus there is Google! 4. TEAM-While all of the above is important, nothing is more critical than having team members and team meetings to brainstorm ideas, menus, and service styles and coordinate all the culinary aspects involved with a weekend. The camaraderie of the kitchen team (and equal helpings of grace and forgiveness when you re tired) is what makes it work. 5. Faith-Some of us are experts at something, yet sometimes we are call to be out of our comfort zones and consider what God wants us to do. We re not up for arguing with God. We ve tried it, it doesn t work. After all, Jesus showed us Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. Luke 9:16-18 Working a Cursillo Kitchen team is hard work no doubt about it. Larry had worked many kitchen teams in the past while Cindy only worked one-nearly 20 years ago. That previous experience helped but not what was the most critical aspect of holding such an important role during a weekend. Neither one of us were hesitant about saying yes to being the Co-Chefs, despite our lack of experience. We are not trained chefs and you don t need to be either. Those four things-organization, Connections, Math and TEAM-make this job manageable for anyone. Add in Faith and anyone yes, even YOU can do this job. So the next time you receive a call we encourage you to consider this thought: I liked the energy of cooking, the action, the camaraderie. I often compare the kitchen to sports and compare the chef to a coach. There are a lot of similarities to it.-todd English The Colors Fall 2013 Page 3

4 Fall 2013: Co-ed Cursillo Weekend How much food does an average weekend require? 25 dozen eggs 80 lbs meat 5 lbs bacon bits 26 heads of lettuce 6 lbs of mixed greens 50 lbs potatoes 10 lbs carrots 12 avocados 30 lbs asparagus 10 lbs celery 18 lbs tomatoes 1 ½ cans Baking power 20 lbs flour 20 lbs sugar 10 lbs oatmeal 1 ½ gallons sour cream 1 ½ gallons yogurt 6 gallons milk 6 gallons juice 12 lbs strawberries 12 lbs grapes 3 watermelons 3 honeydew 6 cantaloupe 10 lbs bananas 10 lbs apples 10 lbs oranges 10 lbs peaches 6 lbs pineapple 4 gallons chicken stock 16 loaves of bread 8 lbs butter 1 gallon Salsa 1 gallon Salad Dressing 144 Dozen Cookies 10 Gallons Ice Cream 12 liters root beer Action: Volunteerism. How to get connected or work a week-end We are frequently asked how one goes about volunteering to be on a Cursillo weekend team? Team Selection Process First, here is how a team is created. Rectors/as are first called about 6 months prior to the actual weekend. Among their first tasks is to call their core team (Vice Rector/a, Spiritual Director, Kitchen Chef, Palanca Chief, Chas and Head Musica). Their next task is to build a balanced team which includes a blend of experienced workers and new Cursillistas from a wide range of different parishes within the Diocese. All team members are selected from a list from the Cursillo database provided by the Secretariat. Of course the selection process occurs with a heaping dose of prayer and discernment. Requirements of Team Members Team members are expected to be active in their congregations, involved in group reunion and actively living out their Piety, Study and Action. Team members (with the exception of the core team) are also asked to work no more than one weekend every 18 months. Team members are expected to attend the 3-4 team meetings that occur in preparation for the weekend and there are often duties that must be completed outside of the team meetings. Getting connected to a team The first step is to complete a Cursillista Profile. Is it possible that your information in the database is incorrect or out- of- date? If that is a possibility you need to complete a Cursillista Profile which is available on the Cursillo website Our database can then be updated with your current contact information. Another way to indicate interest is to send an to the Cursillo Office Manager at officemgr@olycursillo.org. Your will be forwarded to the upcoming Rector/a and they will call you if selected. There is no guarantee you will be called for any specific weekend and you will need to resubmit your name prior to each weekend if you are not called. Another way of being involved in a Cursillo weekend is to serve on a Love Team. Love Teams are often understaffed, but serve a vital role in their support of the weekend team. Send an to the Cursillo Office Manager at officemgr@olycursillo.org and it will be forwarded to the appropriate team member. Getting connected in other ways Every year the Cursillo needs 3 to 4 volunteers to serve on the Secretariat, the governing board for the movement. The Secretariat s mission is to promote, enhance and administer the Cursillo movement in the Diocese, so this is a great opportunity to help guide where the Cursillo movement is headed. If you are interested in serving a 3 year term please president@olycursillo.org. The Colors Fall 2013 Page 4

5 Fall 2013: Co-ed Cursillo Weekend St. Margaret s Episcopal Church October 10-13, Factoria Blvd. SE Bellevue, WA (425) Theme: Scripture: Mañanitas: Clausura: Speak to me 1 Samuel 3:10 Speak for your servant is listening 5:30 AM Gather in the sanctuary at 5:00 AM 3:30 PM Gather in the Church at 3:00 PM Childcare TBD Palanca: We encourage hand-written personal notes telling candidates of the prayer and sacrifice offered on their behalf. Send or deliver palanca to candidate sponsors or to the church during the weekend. PLEASE DO NOT MAIL PALANCA TO THE CURSILLO OFFICE. Candidate Church Sponsor(s) Maria Aceto St. Andrews, Aberdeen Phoebe Olivera Karen Curtis Trinity, Everett Ruth Madden Robert Dedich Trinity, Everett Julie Amdahl Lee Holland St. James, Kent Joyce Barber Janice Johnson St. Margaret, Bellevue Johanna Padie & Shannon Hummel Katie Knowles St. Margaret, Bellevue Claire Webbeking & Shauna Backus Kathryn Lewis St. James, Kent Penny Shannon Cate Manzo Trinity, Everett Julie Amdal Rose Mayfield St. Margaret, Bellevue Meredith Moses Lloyd Riches St. James, Kent Mark Stril Core Team: Rectora: Roberta Newell, Vice Rector: Val Brustad, Spiritual Director: The Rev. Kathleen Patton, Musica: Ellen Green, Palanca: Pat Kelley, Co-Chefs: Debbie Campbell, Jeff Hegland, Co-Chas: Ann McKelvey, Craig McKelvey, Co-Action Coordinators: Daryl Storey, Mike Knowles. Kitchen: Val Kelley, Colin McAfee, Janet McCall, Julie Tarr, Tanya Trailov, Joyce Violette Music: Dennis Kurzrock, Bob Lolcama, Ruth Montgomery, Cathy Ruthroff Palanca: Matt Bracher, Kathie Forbes, Pat Jarvis, Anne Price, JoAnn Thompson Rollo Room: Allegra Andersen, Charlotte Brown, Dave Colburn, Vera Giles, Staci Guffey, Jan Hanson, Tim Lindberg,, Mary McClellan, Jim Miller, Roger Uhden, Kitty Walker, Luz Williams, Johnny Williams Spiritual: The Rev. Kendall Haynes, The Rev. Terri Lolcama Love Team Coordinator: Reberta Skinner Agape Coordinator: TBD CHECK FOR LAST MINUTE UPDATES!! The Colors Fall 2013 Page 5

6 Fall 2013: Co-ed Cursillo Weekend Directions to St. Margaret s From Seattle: Take I-90 eastbound, go right at exit 10B (Richards Rd.), turn right at end of exit onto Factoria Blvd, continue south on Factoria Blvd for ¾ mile. Go left at the light at the top of the hill on Newport. From I-90 westbound: Get off I-90 westbound at exit 10 onto I-405 southbound, exit onto Coal Creek Parkway, go left at the end of the exit. Continue on Coal Creek Parkway for 3/10ths of a mile, turn left onto Factoria Blvd. St. Margaret s is on the northeast corner of Newport and Factoria Blvd. Enter from either Factoria Blvd, or Newport. From I-405 (northbound or southbound): turn right at exit 10, (Coal Creek Parkway), turn east at the end of the exit, (left from southbound 405 or right from northbound 405), continue straight for about 3/10ths of a mile, turn left onto Factoria Blvd. St. Margaret s is on the northeast corner of Newport and Factoria Blvd. Enter from either Factoria Blvd, or Newport. STUDY: A Book Review Help, Thanks, Wow: The Three Essential Prayers By Anne Lamott New York: Riverhead Books, 2012, Kindle Edition. Anne Lamott s latest book about prayer is both good and entertaining. The content is important and is covered with both clarity and intelligence, so it is good. It is entertaining because Ms. Lamott s perceptive candor helps us accept the humor in our own short-comings. The insights Anne imparts may be just what is needed to jolt your prayer life from dutiful to delightful. When we think of prayer, certain favorites naturally come to mind, but they are not the focus here. Anne briefly mentions the classic prayers, like the Lord s Prayer and the 23 rd Psalm, but these she says are for special occasions. They are dressier prayers, the good china of prayers, used when I have my wits about me enough (a) to remember that they exist, and (b) to get into a state of trust. This would be approximately seven percent of the time. The focus here is on the other 93% of the time, when we re not so well prepared. More importantly, it is also about developing the mindset where it becomes natural to stop and pray at a moment s notice, at any time throughout the day or night. Her introductory section, Prayer 101, covers elementary questions like What are we really doing when we pray? and which includes several gems in her clear and direct voice: Prayer means that, in some unique way, we believe we re invited into a relationship with someone who hears us when we speak in silence. Anne contends that Help, Thanks, and Wow form the core of our prayer lives what we can and need to bring to God. She expands on each of these prayers with experiential clarity, honesty, and her characteristic sharp wit. Here s another example: Sometimes the first time we pray, we cry out in the deepest desperation God help me. This is a great prayer, as we are then at our absolutely most degraded and isolated, which means we are nice and juicy with the consequences of our best thinking and are thus possibly teachable. You probably know someone who is exploring prayer for the first time, or who is seeking to improve their own prayer practice. This book would make a great gift for anyone at any level of experience. The Colors Fall 2013 Page 6

7 Action: Letter from Matt Finnigan ONE WOMAN, ONE MAN, EACH CHURCH, EACH YEAR With the adoption of the motto printed above, the Cursillo Movement will provide Christian leaders for all of our churches throughout the Diocese on a continuing basis. Is it difficult goal to attain? Not really. Do we do very well in terms of accomplishing it? Not really. Why not? I d venture to say that it s because we all too often see the same congregations sponsoring people for Cursillo;; which means we don t spread the Good News very far beyond our good old timetrodden path. Imagine where we would be if Jesus had not ventured beyond living in Nazareth! Are you up to the challenge of spreading the Good News? You can do so quite easily by sponsoring someone for Cursillo. Ask yourself who in your congregation hasn t attended a Cursillo weekend and would be a good candidate. You can download an application at Another guess would be that some see Cursillo as a closed group or a secretive society. Actually, nothing is further from the truth. In fact, the Secretariat has recently published a new brochure that provides complete information about Cursillo and what happens on a Cursillo weekend. You should be able to obtain a copy at your church, or you can view it on the web at You can also a request to communications@olycursillo.org for a copy and we will mail one to you. It is also possible that some feel threatened by Cursillo and think that it will take people in their congregation and divert their energy and efforts somewhere beyond the church. This, too, is not accurate. The defined purpose of Cursillo is to grow Christcentered leaders for the church. Or stated another way, Cursillo helps prepare people for their ministries in the church by helping them deepen their relationship with our Savior. So, I call on each church each of you reading this throughout the diocese to sponsor one man and one woman for Cursillo each year. Once we do this. we can then truly judge whether Cursillo has an impact on the ministry taking place in our congregations. Shalom, Matthew Finnigan, The Colors Fall 2013 Page 7

8 Cursillo Movement In the Diocese of Olympia 1551 Tenth Ave E Seattle, WA Nonprofit Org US Postage PAID Tacoma, WA Permit #1347 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED TIME DATED MATERIAL PLEASE DO NOT DELAY Dear Cursillo Community, The FALL 2013 Co-ed Cursillo Team invites you to attend: Co-Ed Clausura October 13 at 3:00 PM St. Margaret s Bellevue Please join us to welcome the newest Cursillistas and to enjoy the fellowship of our community. FOURTH DAY CELEBRATION When? Saturday November 2, 2013 Where? St. Andrew s, 400 E. First St., Aberdeen, WA (360) What time? 9:00 3:00 PM. Childcare not yet available, check website for update Who should I bring? Sponsors, bring your candidates! What about lunch? Soup will be served. Bring side dish or dessert How do I get there? See website for directions Website: