St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 4700 S. Poplar Casper, WY 82601 (307)265-4105 Email:
[email protected] Website: http:// ststephens.diowy.org
Rites on the Wind Issue 57
Our Discernment for the Future
We are an Episcopal congregation in Casper, Wyoming living a model of Shared Ministry. We are committed to God and to our neighbors. Inside this issue: Prayer Lists, July Worship
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July Events/ 3 Birthdays, Newsletter Deadline, Monthly Outreach Educational Opportunities, Our New Presiding Bishop-elect, Finance Report
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Service/Bible 4 Study Times, Presiding Bishopelect (continued), Summer Highlights
Friends, For much of 2015 we have spent time exploring our past, present, and future as we work together to discern God's vision of us. Last month we took this information and drafted an amazing vision statement centered around love and acceptance of all of God's creation. Additionally, this past week we hosted a very successful fundraiser drawing 70 attendees and raising more than $1,500 to benefit Natrona County's First Responders. To say there is new energy at SSEC would be an understatement. With this new energy and vision statement comes a need for action. Our vision statement calls us to go out into the world and see Christ in everyone while sharing God's love with all of creation. One of the steps in doing this is discerning our next round of clergy. Now, this may cause anxiety for some as change can be unsettling. However, we (Tristan and Kay) were called to the priesthood at a different time in the life of SSEC and SSEC needs clergy that embodies this new
July 2015
Discernment (cont.)
Discernment (cont.)
vision while empowering others to live into it.
the order of ministry they are called to, and we all need to discern how these callings will be lived out as we strive to fulfill our vision statement.
Therefore, we have asked the vestry, and they have approved, that SSEC be in discernment for our next two members of the clergy for the next five Sundays (through 7/26). Over this time we would ask that you pray and ask God who God has called to be our clergy. From June 28 to July 26 you can share your discernment by writing two names on a sheet of paper and placing it in the container at the front of the church. (Each member of St. Stephen’s should place only one sheet of paper in the container.) This is not a popularity contest. Instead, your discernment should focus on your understanding of Holy Orders, the role of clergy in the Church and at St. Stephen's, as well as the guidance God provides you. We are focusing on clergy rather than the office of priest or deacon as their needs to be additional work around this. The congregation will need to identify its expectations for its next round of clergy, the individuals called will need to discern
Finally, a few additional thoughts. The individuals discerned need to know that they will be volunteers. St. Stephen's does not pay its clergy and this would be true of our next clergy. Additionally, the formation process is at least three years and the discerned individuals will need to attend the Iona School for Ministry in Wyoming which meets one weekend a month in Casper. Lastly, we are not leaving anytime soon. However, when God calls us to our next round of ministry we want St. Stephen's to be prepared and ready to be the congregation God has called you to be. May the love of Christ be with all of us, Kay and Tristan
August Newsletter Deadline July 24, 2015
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Rites on the Wind
Prayer List: Justin, The Archbishop of Canterbury; Katharine, Our Presiding Bishop; Michael, Our Presiding BishopElect; John, Bruce, Vernon and Bob, Our Bishops
St. Stephen’s Prayer List
Anglican Cycle of Prayer: 7/5: Oyo - (Ibadan, Nigeria) The Rt. Rev. Williams Oluwarotimi Aladekugbe 7/12: Peru - (South America) The Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold William Godfrey, Suffragan Bishop of Peru (South America) The Rt. Rev. Michael A l e x a n d e r Chapman 7/19: Port Elizabeth (Southern Africa) The Rt. Rev. Nceba Nopece, Pretoria (Southern Africa) The Rt. Rev. Dr Johannes Seoka 7/26: Quebec (Canada) The Rt. Rev. Dennis Paul Drainville
Bishops Smylie, Caldwell, Strickland, and Jones, and the Diocese of Wyoming. The Episcopal Church in the U.S. Prayer Requests to Jill Rhea at 4 7 3 - 8 8 4 1 , e m a i l :
[email protected] OR SSEC at 265-4105, email:
[email protected] Diocesan Cycle of Prayer: 7/5: St. Andrew’s in the Pines, Pinedale 7/12: St. David’s, Ft. Bridger 7/19: St. James, Encampment 7/26: St. John’s, Powell
For Grief: The Green/Kinneberg & Johnson Families Kraig C., Liz, Brandon, Kathleen, Sue I., Shirley & Frosty P., Kristy, Vickie J., Cindy G., Luella P., Matt G., Ann H., Stephanie S, Jo S., John & Jacquie, Muriel S, Ron & Snooks B., Richard, Jasmine, Mel & Patti, Preston & John, Sydney, Gladys, Will, Dennis G., Dennis A. Military in Afghanistan and all parts of the world. Healing and rehabilitation for injured, maimed, PTSD, and unemployed veterans. St Stephen’s: Church growth and improved finances. Tristan and Kay as they proceed as priests and safety in their travels. Guidance of the congregation in discernment of shared ministry.
July Worship Schedule 7/5/2015
7/12/2015
7/19/2015
7/26/2015
6th Sunday after 7th Sunday after 8th Sunday 9th Sunday after Pentecost Pentecost after Pentecost Pentecost
Priest
Proper 9
Proper 10
Proper 11
Proper 12
Eucharist
LOTW
Eucharist
LOTW
Father Tim
Tristan
Temple
George
Wendy
George
1st Reader
Jenn
Mazie
Gayna
Sheila
2nd Reader
Dwight
Leroy
Mazie
Jenn
POP
Mazie
Leroy
Gayna
Temple
Worship Leader
Gospel
Father Tim
Sermon
Father Tim
Wendy
Tristan
Temple
Leroy
Ruth
Jill & Mazie
Leroy
Ann
Izzie
Mazie
Guild Coffee Host/ Hostess Notes
Tristan
Issue 57
Page 3
Discernment:
July Events/Birthdays & Anniversaries Sunday, July 5 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Eucharist Svc. Sunday, July 12 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Eucharist Svc Sunday, July 19 8:30 AM Vestry Meeting 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Eucharist Svc Sunday, July 26 9:30 AM Bible Study 10:30 AM Eucharist Svc.
Birthdays: July 5: Chuck Babcock July 8: Ruth Garrett July 14: Margaret Babcock
Annual Poplar Street Tri-Church Service & Picnic (St. Stephen’s, Shepherd of the Hills, Bethel Baptist Churches)
Annual Episcopal Tri-Parish Service & Picnic (St. Stephen’s, St. Mark’s, Christ Church-Glenrock)
September 13, 2015 Central Wyoming Fairgrounds Pioneer Church (Watch for more details!)
August 2, 2015 (Watch for more details!)
Monthly Outreach
In July, our outreach efforts will be collecting funds for those affected by the flooding in the Lusk area. Unfortunately many homes and businesses lost everything with very little help for recovery as typical insurance policies do not cover flooding without specific flood coverage. Lusk is not considered a flood zone, so very few had this type of coverage. As an update, our small but mighty group was able to raise approximately $2,000 to benefit Project Lifesaver (a few expenses are still forthcoming). Excellent work for the Lord, St. Stephen’s!
Educational Opportunities Several exciting educational opportunities are scheduled in Wyoming during the month of July. The
Education (cont.) sessions being held in Region III (our region) are as follows: July 9th in Torrington (All Saints Church), July 12th in Douglas (Christ Church), and July 23rd in Casper (Diocesan Office). These sessions will be led by The Rev. Drs. John Lewis and Jane Patterson, two of today's leading instructors of the New Testament. Each session has a different topic: July 9-Sermon On the Mount/Plain (2-4:30 pm); The Lord’s Prayer as a Call to Radical Living (68:30 pm); July 12Discipleship & Ministry (11-6 pm); July 19-Using Scripture Imaginatively (24:30 pm); Clothing Ourselves With Christ; Faith in Life Discernment Groups (6-8:30 pm). On July 12th, St. Stephen's will offer a Liturgy of the
Education (cont.)
Please continue to pray as we discern our calls to the ministry. Shared Ministry is the work of ALL of us at St. Stephen’s. Loving God, Help us to be open to the moving of your Spirit. Help us to work together to grow into all that you want us to be. Help us to share Christ with the world. Most of all, help us to love each other as you have loved us. We pray all of these things in your holy name. Amen.
Word service with our own Wendy Owens preaching or you have the option of attending a Eucharist service and potluck at Christ Church in Douglas and attending that session afterward. If you would rather attend services at St. Stephen's that day, you are Finance Report welcome to go to Douglas 5/31/2015 for the educational session beginning at 11:00. Plate YTD: $ 6,235.00 We hope you will attend as Pledge YTD: many of these sessions as $10,210.00 you are able. Please bring Budget Plate YTD: your Bible. $ 1,250.00 Budget Pledge YTD: Our New Presiding $11,850.00 Bishop Elect Income YTD: The Episcopal Church’s $ 29,956.73 General Convention made Expense YTD: history June 27 when it $23,900.99 chose Diocese of North Budget Income YTD: Carolina Bishop Michael $16,454.16 Curry to be its 27th presid- Budget Expense YTD: ing bishop. $18,981.45 (Continued on page 4)
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You! St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 4700 S. Poplar Casper, WY 82601
Worship & Bible Study Times Sundays @ 10:30 A.M.; Bible Study @ 9:30 A.M.
Presiding Bishop-elect (continued)
Summer Highlights Tristan’s Masters of Divinity Graduation
(Continued from page 3)
Curry, 62, was elected by the House of Bishops from a slate of four nominees on the first ballot. He received 121 votes of a total 174 cast. He will serve a nineyear term that officially begins Nov. 1. On that date, Curry will succeed current Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and he will become the first person of color to hold that position. This makes the second time in a row that the General Convention made history with its election of a presiding bishop. In 2006, Jefferts Schori became the first woman ever elected presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Congrats to Presiding Bishop-elect Curry!
Bishop Smylie’s Benefit Concert for Project Lifesaver at St. Stephen’s
Camp Thunderhead in Lead, SD