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Diocesan Digest, March 30
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In seminary I took a class on the gospel of John that said John was all about light and life. The fact that the tale of Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers was in the front of the story and replaced with the raising of Lazarus meant that the author wanted you, the reader, to know that Jesus was killed because he brought life and light into the world. I suspect there are other ways to understand John but I have always liked this one. We are called to be children of the light and to live as God’s people in the world. We are invited to worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness and I suspect part of that beauty is because of the light.
I mention this because we are now moving toward Holy Week and Easter and I want to encourage us all to slow down and to spend time with God in Christ in the communities in which we worship. Leave your watch (and cell phone) at home this Sunday or at least leave them in the car! And simply dwell with the Lord and the people around you. Listen deeply to the words of the scriptures and to the sermon. Hear the call of God in the music and the other sounds around you. Enjoy worshiping to Lord and prepare with joy for Holy Week and Easter to come.
+Michael
Read more recent news from the Diocese of Oregon.
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From Kay Stoltz, member, lector, and Eucharistic Minister at St. Catherine of Alexandria, Manzanita/Nehalem.
Why Episcopalian? My friend asks. That was easy: my grandmother insisted we go to church, and hers was Episcopal. My mother followed Grandma’s lead, therefore I walked to church every week for Sunday School...
As an adult, I questioned why Episcopalian? It was comfortable, I knew when to stand and when to kneel; the hymns and prayers I knew by heart. Was that enough reason? I found a series of books written by members of various churches, titled “What does it mean to be a “_” with different denominations represented. I don’t remember them all, but there were enough to give me an idea if the Episcopal Church filled my needs and met my beliefs. I needed to challenge whether it was a habit, the pomp and ceremony kept me there, and if I truly believed everything I said in church.
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Congregation Close-up: St. Francis, Wilsonville
Full of beautiful art (including amazing ceiling murals in the sanctuary) and integrated with the nature surrounding it, the congregation of St. Francis stays true to its namesake in carrying out mission, discipleship, and evangelism on both local and international levels.
John Wysock was a long-time vestry member and carpenter known for his knack of taking on the practical needs of the church. After his death, members of St. Francis started "John's Team," a ministry creating care packages of socks, snacks, and toiletries for congregation members to keep in their cars and hand out to people in need.
St. Francis has an ongoing relationship with Moses, bishop of a brand new diocese in South Sudan, as they sponsored him and two other South Sudanese to attend seminary. For Lent, they have taken on a special giving campaign to support ministry in the new diocese. Their goal is to raise $5,000, which will go towards paying the salary of two doctors and buying medicine for the diocesan clinic, as well as providing fabric for a women's employment project.When Moses visited recently, he expressed his thanks and exhorted parishioners to "stay in the faith."
Visit the St. Francis website.
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Jesus Christ Superstar: with a twist
The moment it first appeared, Jesus Christ Superstar caught my heart and my imagination. It was, after all, about my Lord’s last week of earthly life, but even as some folks deemed it sacrilegious, I found it deeply moving, and thought-provoking. Yes, it paints Judas Iscariot in a more sympathetic light than is traditional; yes, Jesus isn’t always calm and serene in it, but it reminds us that in our insistence on a stained-glass Jesus, meek and mild, we often forget the scriptural Jesus who chided his disciples for their lack of understanding, totally lost his temper when he cast the moneychangers from the Temple, and agonized over God’s will for him in the Garden of Gethsemane to the point of sweating blood.
Ever since my college days, all someone had to do was hum the opening bars of the Overture, and I was off and running, singing practically the whole show from memory. After years of being Rector at St. John the Baptist, and hearing folks say, “Wouldn’t it be fun to do a musical?” I realized that with all the talent that surrounded us in our own choir, neighboring parish choirs with whom we have collaborated, the OES community, and many colleagues who sing with the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, now was the time.
Read more and find event details on our website.
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Upcoming diocesan and church events:
Indaba-style Conversation on Israel and Palestine: Episcopalians holding a variety of positions relative to the issues involved in the Holy Land have asked the diocese to consider legislation concerning Israel/Palestine. Bishop Michael Hanley invites any who wish to participate to gather for conversation anchored in our baptismal covenant. Please email Tracy Esguerra (tracye@diocese-oregon.org) if you plan to attend.
April 8, 1 - 3 pm at St. Mary, Eugene
May 20, 10 am - 12 pm, St. Luke
Lenten Lessons & Carols: Join the Cathedral Chamber Singers for a service of lessons and carols, followed by a free organ recital. Trinity Cathedral, Portland. April 2, 5 - 7 pm.
Godly Play Core Training: three-day training for volunteers on the fundamentals of facilitating Godly Play sessions for children. All Saints, Hillsboro. May 19 - 21.
Iconography Workshop: there are three spots left for this six-day workshop with Greek iconographer Theodoros Papadopoulos. St. Timothy, Salem. June 5 - 10.
SPARKS! Service in the City Camp: Registration is open for this experiential learning and community service-oriented camp. Trinity Cathedral, Portland. July 10-14 and 17-21.
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Events and Notices
Bishop Michael's Visitation Schedule:
St. Francis, Wilsonville: April 2
St. Michael & All Angels, Portland: April 30
Register now: Clergy Conference will be April 24 - 26 at the Oregon Garden Resort. Our guest speaker will be Sister Simone Campbell of the Catholic social justice group "Nuns on the Bus." Conference schedule and registration information is available here.
Save the date: Holy Eucharist with Reaffirmation of Vows and Blessing of the Oils
Tuesday, April 11 at Trinity Cathedral, Portland
Wednesday, April 12 at St. Mary, Eugene
Both services will be at 11:00 am followed by lunch.
Stand to Support Refugees Sunday: resources to help your congregation host a focused service in support of Episcopal Migration Ministries are now available. Click here for more information.
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Word of the Week
Whether you're a cradle Episcopalian or just walked through the red doors yesterday, chances are you've encountered some of the special vocabulary specific to our faith and wondered, what does that mean?
Check out previous entries on our
Instagram
account.
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We are the people in the Diocese
The Rev. Carl Hugo Gross
Carl Hugo Gross was Rector at Grace Church Astoria, from March 1958 until January 1971, and was Chaplain at Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, 1971-1976. He was born in Edenkoben, Rhineland-Palantinate, Germany, in 1912. Ordained in 1936, he married Magdalene Maria Scholz in 1940 and was imprisoned by the SS the same year. After release, he went into hiding for several years. In 1947, his first son was born in Italy, and the following year the family immigrated to the United States, bringing two unrelated children in addition to their own son. On Rev. Gross's immigration record, his nationality was listed was Estonian and his occupation as painter, neither of which he was. In 1952, Rev. Gross was received as priest in the Diocese of Eastern Oregon, where he served until moving to Astoria in 1958. Rev. Gross retired in 1977 and passed away in Lake Oswego on October 29, 1997.
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