May 12, 2021
 
 
Diocese Awarded Grant for Lay Preacher Initiative
 
THE EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF NORTH CAROLINA is one of six dioceses recently awarded a grant from the Episcopal Preaching Foundation to pilot the Foundation's Lay Preacher Teaching Initiative (LPTI). Along with North Carolina, the other participants are the Dioceses of East Tennessee; Central Gulf Coast; Minnesota; Nebraska and Lexington.

"We are honored to be part of this opportunity to build up and build out the voices of those called to share the Good News of Jesus through this collaborative partnership," said the Rt. Rev. Sam Rodman, bishop of the Diocese of North Carolina. "We look forward to hearing more and more the inspiration our lay leaders have to bring to the church and to the world as preachers of the word."
 
Funded by a grant from Trinity Church Wall Street, the goal of the LPTI is to develop a robust cadre of lay preachers drawn from within their local communities who can supplement ordained clergy in the pulpit. By training and supporting lay preachers in The Episcopal Church, the program aims to establish lay preaching and lay leadership as a fourth dimension of diocesan leadership in the Episcopal Church alongside bishops, priests and deacons.
 
Clergy Checkbox

CLERGY/LEADERSHIP SUPPORT CALLS: Every Tuesday, 8:30a.m. via Zoom. To join the call, use this link or call in by phone at 1-646-558-8656 (Meeting ID: 515 271 142). 
VIRTUAL LUNCHEON for Retired clergy, Spouses and Surviving Spouses, May 13, 11:30 a.m., via Zoom. Register.

VESTRY REMINDER: During June and July, vestries are to elect their delegates to the 206th Convention in November.

FOR CLERGY CALENDARS:
  • June 5 - Ordination to the Sacred Order of Transitional Deacons
  • June 24 - Clergy Day, Holy Trinity, Greensboro
 
Sacred Ground: Calling All Facilitators

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED in becoming a Sacred Ground facilitator, the Diocese of North Carolina is offering Sacred Ground Facilitator Training and Sacred Ground for Potential Facilitators programs as part of its commitment to racial justice. 

Developed by The Episcopal Church, Sacred Ground is a film- and readings-based dialogue series on race, grounded in faith. Small groups are invited to walk through chapters of America's history of race and racism, while weaving in threads of family story, economic class, and political and regional identity.

FACILITATOR TRAINING: For those who have already taken Sacred Ground and would like to become a faciliator, the training includes three sessions:
POTENTIAL FACILITATOR TRAINING: For those who would like to become facilitators but want to experience Sacred Ground first, the Diocese is offering a Sacred Ground 10-session program on bi-weekly Wednesdays from 11:30a.m.-1p.m. (via Zoom) starting June 16. Register by June 2.

Learn more about the Sacred Ground facilitator training offerings. For more information, contact Jenny Beaumont, missioner for adult and lifelong formation.
 
Fourth Regional Confirmation Added

THIS WEEK, the Diocese added a fourth regional confirmation to the three announced last week:
  • Wednesday, June 9, 7p.m.: St. Paul's, Cary
  • Saturday, June 19, 11a.m.: St. John's, Charlotte
  • Wednesday, June 23, 7p.m.: Holy Trinity, Greensboro
  • NEW: Saturday, June 27, Time TBD: St. Andrew's, Rocky Mount
Registration will take place through the Diocese. Please note: Every confirmand must register individually and may have up to three guests at the service. Confirmands should plan to arrive one hour before the service. Two weeks before the confirmation service, you will receive an email with all of the details you need to know.

The deadline to register is May 26.
 
 
Pentecost Love Revival: May 22-23

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH greets Pentecost with One in the Spirit, a Way of Love Revival Weekend designed to fan the flames of hope, celebrate difference, honor creation, foster beloved community, and send people toward Jesus's Way of Love. The weekend of events includes the following:
  • Saturday, May 22, 6-7:30 p.m. ET: Concert for the Human Family and "From Many, One" Community Conversations 
  • Sunday, May 23, 4-5:30 p.m. ET: Churchwide Pentecost Revival Worship from Philadelphia, Navajoland, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C.
The concert is framed by the From Many, One: Conversations Across Difference effort, with a pair of musicians sharing their stories at the opening of the concert. Bishop Curry will host further conversation after the concert and then invite the entire audience to share in small group Conversations Across Difference. Register for the free concert and conversations.

Theworship service will be a spirit-filled celebration will draw on the gifts, testimonies, songs and voices of Episcopalians in cathedrals and communities across the church including St. Mark's Cathedral in Seattle, indigenous churches in Navajoland and South Dakota, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, Washington National Cathedral, and Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis, Mo. The Pentecost Way of Love Revival Worship Service will be aired on the Episcopal Church's various web channels, including Facebook and www.episcopalchurch.org.
 
ONE THOUSAND DAYS OF LOVE: Almost There!


THE DIOCESE is working to raise $198,000 for ONE THOUSAND DAYS OF LOVE, a grassroots fundraising campaign of Episcopal Relief & Development to further their global work through local partnerships to make a difference in the first five years of children's lives. 

We're getting so close!

With a hope of reaching our goal by Pentecost, our total raised to date is $135,765. We're almost there!

Please do what you can to share this important program with friends and loved ones. Together, we can reach our goal and make a lifelong difference in the lives of children.
 
You can track the our collective fundraising progress on the diocesan website. There you'll see the fundraising thermometer rising as well as find ways to donate and resources from Episcopal Relief & Development.
 
New Upcoming Offerings from Youth Department 

MAY 18, 12-1p.m. - Webinar: Best Practices and Wisdom for Offering Outdoor Programs
Please join us for a webinar on best ways to offer outdoor programs for your ministries this summer. Our guest speakers will be Liz Stroff Howes, director of parish programs at Christ Church, Raleigh; Sarah Bentley Allred, editor at Building Faith; and Sarah Ford, director of children and family ministry at Christ Church, Charlotte. In addition to these wise and wonderful women, we will also have the Rev. Lauren Villemuer-Drenth and Caroline Stephenson, co-chairs of the Task Force for Covid Protocols for School/Preschool and Programming. A recording will be available for anyone who is unable to attend. Register.


JUNE (MONDAYS), 7-8:30p.m. - Celebrating LGBTQ+ Youth: For Parents
This offering is a 4-week course for parents of LGBTQ+ youth. The topics include: 
  • Session 1  (June 7): Introduction & Basics
  • Session 2: Knowing Better
  • Session 3: Questions
  • Session 4: Doing Better. 

The course will include some prework (articles and videos). There will be presentations, large and small group discussions, and journaling. This offering has been developed and will be led by Leah Dail, assistant youth missioner and the parent of an LGBTQ+ child. She is not an expert but hopes to offer resources, community and support. There will be offerings for youth leaders in August and for LGBTQ+ youth themselves in November. Register by June 1.
 
Prayers for the Sick and Faithful Departed

During this time of uncertainty and grief, we gather in prayer to intercede for the sick and to remember the faithful departed. If you would like to add an ill or recently deceased loved one to our diocesan prayer list, or request prayers for yourself, please fill out this form (prayers offered during services will be first name only).
 
Bulletin Board 


TAX NOTES: As the May 17 tax deadline approaches, did you know there are several ways you can make donations to your church? Learn more.


ENGAGING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE: For those interested in learning more and taking action related to climate change, there are several upcoming opportunities to do so:


HAPPY 20TH ANNIVERSARY, JOHNSON SERVICE CORPS! 
This year Johnson Service Corps is celebrating 20 years of bringing young adults to the Triangle for a year of service, spiritual formation, intentional community living, and social justice engagement. Whether you are a long time supporter of the program or are interested in learning more about the local Episcopal Service Corps affiliate, you are invited to join a virtual celebration on Thursday, May 20, from 7-8:15p.m. RSVP.


DON'T FORGET: IT'S GRANT SEASON
  • DEADLINE: MAY 16 - MISSIONARY RESOURCE SUPPORT TEAM (MRST) GRANTS: The spring cycle of the MRST grant focuses on clergy salary support. The MRST salary support grant supports clergy salaries and benefits through the annual diocesan budget. Learn more and apply.
  • DEADLINE: MAY 16 - MISSION ENDOWMENT GRANTS: Mission Endowment Grants support efforts to establish the Episcopal presence of Christ in communities in ways that brings the community to see Christ's presence among them. One and two-year grants available. Learn more and apply.
  • OPEN DEADLINE - GREEN GRANTS: CHARTERED COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTRY: The North Carolina Diocesan Environmental Ministry Committee offers green grants in the amounts of $250 and $500 to assist congregations in our Diocese interested in starting an environmental ministry program. Applications accepted throughout the year, funds allowing. Learn more and apply.


DISMANTLING RACISM: Registration is open for the next two offerings of "Dismantling Racism: Reclaiming Our Baptismal Promise," an interactive workshop designed to deepen our spiritual commitment to dismantle racism as participants in the Jesus movement. Through presentations, prayer, story sharing, videos and small group discussion, we explore how the sin of racism impacts all of our lives. We ground our work together biblically and sacramentally by renewing our baptismal vows to seek and serve Christ in all persons and to respect the dignity of all human beings. There is no cost to attend via Zoom. For more information, contact Jenny Beaumont, dicoesan missioner for adult and lifelong formation. Upcoming training dates:
  • May 21, 5-8 p.m. and May 22, 9 a.m-1 p.m., via Zoom. Register. (Only a few spots remain!)
  • July 30, 5-8 p.m., and July 31, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., via Zoom. Register.


ADDRESSING VACCINE HESITANCY: COVID vaccines are more widely available than ever, yet clinics are increasingly empty, appointments are going unbooked, and more and more doses are going unused as many are hesitant to get vaccinated. The reasons are many: concern over safety, questions about side effects and the belief it's just not necessary. 

The Rev. Maureen Flak and Dr. Joseph Graves of the diocesan Task Force on Vaccine Education address these concerns in the hope it will encourage all those who have not yet gotten vaccinated will make the decision to do so.

Additional Resources:


The bulletin board is a great way to share announcements, needs and offerings around the Diocese. To include an item on the bulletin board, email us with your notice. Please keep it short (100 words max.) and be sure to include contact information.  
 
Calendar
 
Visit the diocesan website to see a full list of upcoming events.

MAY

13 - Virtual Luncheon for Retired Clergy, Spouses and Surviving Spouses, 11:30 a.m., via Zoom. Register.

16 - MRST and Mission Endowment Grant applications due today. 

18 - Webinar: Best Practices and Wisdom for Offering Outdoor Programs, 12p.m. Register.

21 & 22 - Dismantling Racism, May 21, 5-8 p.m. and May 22, 9 a.m-1 p.m., via Zoom. Register.

26 - Deadline to register for regional confirmations

31 - Diocesan offices closed (Memorial Day)


JUNE

1 - Registration deadline for Celebrating LGBTQ+ Youth: For Parents

5 - Ordination to the Sacred Order of Transitional Deacons, 11a.m., St. Philip's Chapel, Canterbury School. Enjoy the livestream on the diocesan Facebook page.

9 - Regional Confirmation, 7p.m., St. Paul's, Cary



19 - Regional Confirmation, 11a.m., St. John's, Charlotte

23 - Regional Confirmation, 7p.m., Holy Trinity, Greensboro

27 - Regional Confirmation, Time TBD, St. Andrew's, Rocky Mount


Do you have an event you'd like to share? Email us the event date and title, a brief description (100 words max.), a contact person and any promotional flyers or photos. Listings normally appear on the calendar four weeks prior to the event.   

Please do not send online worship; we offer a full online worship schedule on the diocesan website. To offer yours, visit here.