The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia | July 2018
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Faith formation encompasses the ministries and activities offered by the church that help people grow in faith and in their understanding of and love for God.
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The Take-Away: The Presiding Bishop's
Whirlwind Journey Through
Western Washington
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Now you see him, now you don't!... Last month the Diocese of Olympia played host to Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. With unwavering energy and enthusiasm, he listened, answered questions, embraced friends and strangers alike, and delivered his trademark fiery and passionate sermons, spreading his message of love everywhere he went.
The Diocese Communications Team
documented it all
and we've gathered some video highlights here too, as well as the Episcopal Church's new curriculum for "Reclaiming Jesus."
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The Jesus Movement:
New Curriculum for Your Congregation
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At the Royal Wedding, Presiding Bishop Curry called us to love. During his Western Washington Wanderings, he challenged us over and over to reclaim our voice as Christians.
Presiding Bishop Curry and other Christian leaders have created
"
A Statement of Faith in a Time of Crisis
." The preface to the statement says,
“We believe it is time to renew our theology of public discipleship and witness.“ So what are you waiting for?
The statement itself consists of 6 “We Believe” statements, each followed by a “We Reject” statements. The drafters of the statement explain: "What we believe leads us to what we must reject. Our 'Yes' is the foundation for our 'No.'... We pray that we, as followers of Jesus, will find the depth of faith to match the danger of our political crisis."
The website provides two free, printable, easy-to-lead curricula, both of which can be used as-given or adapted for particular situations:
-- Maureen Crawford
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Looking for a curriculum to create energy around the Jesus movement? Want to start conversations on current events that are rooted in sound theology? Would you like to offer a Bible Study that addresses our role as followers of Christ? Would your parishioners like a challenge that leads to action?
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The Bishop's Bookshelf...
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By Bishop Greg Rickel
The current book I am reading is called
Meltdown: Why Our Systems Fail and What We Can Do About It
by Chris Clearfield and András Tilcsik.
This is an excellent book on organizations and I am enjoying reading it very much. It takes some actual events, both big and small, and unwinds them to discuss the difference between “loosely connected systems” and “tightly connected systems” and how that difference can mean disaster if we are not careful...
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The Holy Eucharist Illuminated:
Liturgy Teaching Cards
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Take a look at these little gems: 38 cards with vibrant photography on one side and liturgical education on the reverse, all breaking down the Episcopal worship service into its components, a rare case of the sum of the parts being equal to the whole.
This is the work of Kyle Matthew Oliver, an Episcopal priest and EdD student in the Communications, Media, and Learning Technologies Design Program at Teachers College, Columbia University.
You could describe these as flashcards though Oliver warns that they should not be used as such; this is not a drill so much as an opportunity to meditate on the beauty of the Episcopal liturgy.
So use them playfully! Some potential uses that immediately come to mind:
- Icebreaker for any Church Gathering – draw a card and share it with the group – how do the images on the front resonate with the content on the back? Which images speak to you?
- Confirmation Class – review a few cards at each meeting.
- Instructed Eucharist – select a handful to illustrate key concepts. I wouldn’t use all 38, though you will be tempted to do so!
- Children’s Chapel – draw a card to determine which part of the service you will lead.
- Etc.
Click here
to see a slideshow of the whole deck, front and back. Then do a digital download or purchase a set. Also, connect with the
Diocesan Resource Center
to preview a deck.
-- Valerie Reinke
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Young Adults Connect & Thrive
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Young Adult Advisory Group to Meet July 24
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Help plan activities and events that appeal to young adults throughout the diocese by participating in the Bishop's YA Advisory Group. Adults ages 18-35 are welcome though we won't throw you out if you're a little older ;-D
Dinner's on us!
Bring your ideas, suggestions and an appetite. Click here to
RSVP
.
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Please Promote:
A Holy Waste of Time
Young Adult Retreat
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Spread the word! Our popular end-of-summer retreat is scheduled for August 17 - 19 and looks to be the holiest waste of time in recent memory.
Kayaking, paddle-boarding, hiking, ukulele classes, yoga, friendship, and evening worship, will all be offered over the weekend at St. Andrew's House on the picturesque shores of the Hood Canal. All meals included. $85/person for the weekend. $25/day-tripper (Sat.). For more information and to register click here:
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Episcopal Service Corps:
A Unique Opportunity for
Select College Graduates
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Contributed by Adam Conley
Seattle Service Corps Director
Bailey Kimmel, 2017-2018 Seattle Service Corps member, says of her experience:
“Our world has become so focused on the goal that we forget about the journey. We skip steps, run to milestones, and hide our failures. Being a part of the Seattle Service Corps reminded me [that] ‘joy really is the journey.’ I grew and changed so much as a person in high school and college that it was easy to forget my core, my foundation, who I was and who I wanted to be. A year of service and intentional community gave me the freedom and support to find the ‘me’ I can be proud of and the ‘me’ God wants me to be. The bumps and reroutes along the way just make for good stories and amazing memories.”
Applications for the 2018-2019 program year are still being accepted. Click below to start your application, or forward it to a young adult you think may be interested.
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Holy Ground Between Us: The 2017-2018 Seattle Service Corps at Saint Mark’s Cathedral for a “Blessing & Sending” on Sunday, July 1, 2018. From L-R Bailey Kimmel, new director Adam Conley, Karen Sargent, Andy Rodgers and Patrick Kelly.
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Diocese of Olympia Youth
Actively Participate in the
General Convention
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Four youth from the Diocese are learning more about the wider Episcopal Church, its ministries and diverse interests this month at General Convention, the governing body of The Episcopal Church that meets every three years. If you’re interested in following them, they have contributed to a blog at
These amazing teens are:
Elijah
from Good Shepherd, Vancouver;
Rachel
from St. Margaret's, Bellevue;
Christian
from Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle; and
Catie
from St. John’s, Snohomish; with young adults Katrina, from St. Peter’s, Seattle; and Mason, from Good Shepherd, Vancouver; along with adults, Sister D from St. James, Kent; and Denise Brumbaugh from the Office of the Bishop.
-- Denise Brumbaugh
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Bishop Rickel and Youth Ministry Program Coordinator, Denise Brumbaugh (in purple), mug for the camera with teens and friends from Western Washington as they arrive for General Convention in Austin, TX
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Lakewood Teen's Speech at Convention Receives a Standing Ovation
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Sixteen-year-old Maria Gonzalez from St. Mary’s, Lakewood, is one of only two youth from Province 8 who represented us as part of the "General Convention Official Youth Presence (OYP)."
The General Convention OYP was established in 1982 and its young members are granted "seat and voice" and may actively participate in committee hearings and floor debates.
Maria was also selected by her peers to deliver the youth address to the House of Bishops, a speech which was received with a standing ovation. You can view her remarks here:
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Enrichment for Children & Families
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Children & Families Ministry Leaders from the greater Seattle area met in June and have proposed regular quarterly meetings. All are welcome!
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Kick-Off Meeting Brainstorm
Provides Future Discussion Topics
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Contributed by Kelly Moody
Director of Children's & Family Ministries, Saint Mark's Cathedral
Two main topics of discussion took most of our time at our June meeting:
1. A review of how each church structures programming for children and youth; and,
2. We brainstormed a list of questions, topics, and needs to be addressed in future gatherings:
- creating faith at home seminars and/or other shared events to support parents and families across parish lines
- strategies and resources for forming parents and ministering to the whole family unit
- taking turns hosting workshops or events that appeal to families
- creating and staying true to our mission and values for children’s spirituality and development
- troubleshooting and thinking deeply about children’s chapels
- ideas/strategies for shared classroom space and using technology for check in/out, registration, etc.
- a whole day on Godly Play philosophies, troubleshooting, and adaptation of the program to various missions (what can we leave out and have all the Godly Play we need?)
- considering what’s next after Godly Play…curricula for older children
- creating/sharing registration forms, sign-up sheets, and getting familiar with various software products
- support and guidance in volunteer recruitment, training, and retention
- review of new Safe Church guidelines
- writing site-specific safety policies (fire drills, active shooter, etc)
- resources for finding (and sharing) nursery workers and other paid formation staff
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Join us at our next Children & Families Ministry Leadership Meeting:
Wednesday, September 26, 11:30 - 1:00 p.m.
Diocesan House, 1551 10th Avenue E., Seattle
Lunch provided, please
RSVP
Interested but live too far away? Connect with
Valerie
to discuss regional meetings for
Children & Families Ministry Leaders
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Safeguarding God's Children
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Safeguarding God's People
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Please register in advance so that enough handouts will be available for everyone.
The latest dates and contact information for trainings are kept on the
Diocesan website
.
If you are planning to schedule a Safeguarding training at your church, please let us know so we can share the news on our website and in this newsletter. Contact:
Tonja Mathews, Resource Associate
with your training details.
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By Sue Tait
Question:
Do you have books written for children in addition to those written for adults about children?
Sue Says:
We do have a small but growing collection of picture books for young children. We also have a collection of bibles for children and some non-fiction on religious themes or themes related to programs of the diocese such as the environment. These materials are often borrowed by adults to support summer camps or other programs, and the age range is roughly three or four years through early middle school.
This supplemental collection supports curriculum that mentions children’s books, as well as materials for story times and individual exploration. For instance, last month we reviewed Jerome Berryman’s
Stories of God at Home: A Godly Play Approach
(268.432 Ber). In it he mentions six children’s titles, three of which are classic titles for younger children and all of which are available in the Diocesan Resource Center...
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A Poem for the Journey: "Love Does That"
By Meister Eckhart
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All day long a little burro labors, sometimes
with heavy loads on her back and sometimes just with worries
about things that bother only
burros.
And worries, as we know, can be more exhausting
than physical labor.
Once in a while a kind monk comes
to her stable and brings
a pear, but more
than that,
he looks into the burro's eyes and touches her ears
and for a few seconds the burro is free
and even seems to laugh,
because love does
that.
Love frees.
"Love Does That" by Meister Eckhart (c. 1260-1327), from
Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and West
, edited by Daniel Ladinsky. Translated from the German by Daniel Ladinsky. © Penguin Books, 2002.
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Denise Brumbaugh
Youth Ministry
Program Coordinator
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Maureen Crawford
Director for Adult Faith Formation
Dean, Iona School
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Valerie Reinke
Canon for Faith Formation:
35 and Under
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Sue Tait
Librarian
Director, Resource Center
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Faith Formation | The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia | 206.325.4200 | www.ecww.org
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