Please keepBethany Schooland all other Episcopal Schools in your prayers this week as we celebrate Episcopal Schools week. Bethany School is one of 1200 Episcopal Schools nationwide, but the only one in Ohio! Thank you for your support!
Coming up on the calendar
October
9 - Diocesan Council, 9 a.m.
11 - Diocesan office closed for Indigenous Peoples Day
12 - Webinar: The Road Ahead: Getting the Most from Your Health Benefits, 12 p.m.
14-16 - Fall CoM gathering
19 - Fall Clergy Day, 10 a.m.
29 - Nominations submission deadline; Annual Commission reports due
ERS is cooking up some fun at the 2021 virtual Gala
From basic sustenance and nourishment to comfort, entertainment, and social connectivity, food has played a more important role than ever in getting us through the COVID-19 pandemic. So, for this year’s Annual Fund Gala, Episcopal Retirement Services is celebrating the many ways food has impacted all of us — from our team members to our residents and their families.
Join us on October 8, 2021 at 7 p.m. ET for The Taste of Giving 2021 Gala, when we cook up some fun all in support of the ERS Good Samaritan Mission Fund! Who will win the Top Chef honors in the Great Gala Cook-Off? Laura Lamb, President and CEO of ERS; Dora Anim, ERS Board Member and COO of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation; and the Rev. Jack F. Koepke, III, ERS Board Member and Retired DSO Canon to the Ordinary will go head-to-head, creating a dish that incorporates ingredients inspired by the older adults served through the Good Samaritan Mission Fund.
New cathedral dean, the Very Rev. Owen Thompson, will also serve as one of the hosts during the live broadcast.
There are other ways you can get involved during the Taste of Giving 2021 besides watching the Great Gala Cook-Off. You can host a watch party. A traditional silent auction features an array of scenic getaways, luxury items, and even tickets to sporting events. The "Pay It Forward" auction puts a philanthropic twist on the silent auction. Rather than bidding on an item for your own pleasure, you have the opportunity to “purchase” programs and services for the benefit of the older adults ERS serves through the Good Samaritan Mission.
The 147th Annual Convention of the Diocese of Southern Ohio will be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, November 13, 2021, beginning at 9 a.m.
Registration to the Zoom meeting will be individually sent only to individuals who have seat and voice at convention. Anyone wishing to simply observe the convention may do so - contact Julie Murray after November 1 to have Zoom registration sent to you. The bishop's convention address will be posted on the convention website immediately after it is presented.
Nominations
Get involved and make a difference in the life and decisions in our diocese: Prayerfully consider standing for election to a diocesan leadership position at our next convention.
Watch some short videos to see why involvement from individuals from all parts of the diocese is vital to make our diocese healthy and energized
If you have any further questions about any of the positions or the nomination process, please contact Nominating Committee chair Jon Boss atjbboss@fuse.net.
Resolutions
Five resolutions will be considered by the 147th Convention. You can see the resolutions here.
Find all convention information and forms at our convention website, dsoconvention.org, or find the convention tab at the top of the diocesan website.
Resources
Looking for forms, policies, all the “stuff” that churches need? Our resources page is a hub that will take you to whatever you are looking for!
The video from the last webinar, Shelby Giving, is posted under Administrative Webinars in our online toolkit.
Upcoming webinars
The Road Ahead: Getting the Most from Your Health Benefits
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
12 to 1 p.m.
Healthcare Annual Enrollment for 2022 is on the horizon. We encourage you to join a live education webinar on October 12, at 12 p.m., specifically for our diocese. Hosted by the Episcopal Church Medical Trust, this session is designed to help subscribers and dependents get the most from their healthcare benefits.
Topics will include…
Understanding your 2022 plan offerings and enhancements
The nuts and bolts of Annual Enrollment
Explaining the new 4 tier offering – Employee, Employee +1, Employee + children (NEW) and Employee + Family
Get to know your additional benefits
How to engage with plan vendors to ensure the right care at the right time
Virtual Visits and Telehealth Services: The care platforms of tomorrow are here to stay
As the outreach arm of the diocese, Episcopal Community Ministries uses the power of our collective community to help fund local outreach ministries who are in the best position to assess and respond to neighborhood needs.
Every donation to ECM contributes to the well-being of communities all over Southern Ohio, at every level of human need, from food and clothing to jobs and homes.
The ECM committee evaluates and provides grant funding in support of parish-based projects that address education, hunger, homelessness, health, and social justice, with a particular emphasis on projects that address systemic issues.
Grant applications for 2022 grants are now open. The deadline for submission is November 30, 2021. Grants will be awarded in February 2022.
Ride to break the cycle of poverty at the 2021 Tour de Gem
The Tour de Gem is an opportunity for non-profits to raise both awareness and funds for their organization. Since 2018 Tour de Gem has hosted one of the premier cycling and fundraising events in Southern Ohio, providing thousands of riders a safe and engaging venue to raise money for the causes they believe in. Their mission is to bring cyclists, charities, and communities together. Cyclists of all ages and abilities have an opportunity to participate in multiple ways:
Create your own virtual ride between September 24 and October 10.
• This can be in your own neighborhood, on a local bike path, one of the spectacular scenic rides throughout Southern Ohio, or even on your exercise bike. Riders registering for the Virtual Option may select the Fundraise Only option, which does not have a fee.
Participate in the Live Ride in Dayton on October 10.
• The event starts at 8am. There are 4 routes to choose from
• When registering for the live event, be sure to indicate which route you plan to ride. There is a registration fee for adult and youth in-person riders. Children under 12 are welcome to participate – their family should select the family friendly Bike Path course. There is no fee for children to register.
Tour de Gem is a component fund of The Dayton Foundation. Every dollar donated through Tour de Gem Team ECM will be disbursed to ECM. In turn, every dollar raised by ECM is granted to local outreach ministries. We hope you will join with us to make a real difference in Southern Ohio communities!
This Book Study has been postponed. We are looking forward to opportunities to dig deeper into this text and learn together as a diocese. More information to come!
Fall 2021 Preaching Seminar
“Who Made Your Mouth?”: Arguments with Shrubbery by Christine Parton Burkett
Saturday, October 16, 1 to 4 p.m. on Zoom
“The sermon is twice born, once when it is written, and again when it is delivered,” said Augustine. In this presentation, we will examine the authentic and fully embodied sermon. By exploring practical principles to delivering the homily with all the fervor and passion with which it was conceived through expression, voice, body, and movement. We will overview best principles for reading scripture aloud with passion and break into small groups to practice several readings to present aloud to the class.
• The Embodied Sermon: Preaching as an act of incarnation
o Posture/podiums/stance
o Manuscript vs. Notes, eye contact
o Gesture and expression
• The Human Shofar: The preaching voice
• Reading the Gospel Gracefully:
o Types of scripture: mental, empathetic, vital
o Use of pause, emphasis, conditional/causal, grocery lists, punctuation etc.
o Break out groups for practice, art exploration
Christine Parton Burkett has worked with preachers at Duke Divinity School since 1991. She holds degrees in theater and speech-language pathology and describes herself as a “professional pew-sitter”. Experienced preaching coach, she is skilled at assessing the sermon and the preacher to encourage strengths and identify potential growth. She lectures and facilitates retreats, workshops and conferences for clergy across denominations. She is particularly interested in the preacher’s voice and public proclamation of scripture as the seminal act of preaching. She arranges scripture as reader’s theater, choric readings, and biblical story-telling. Areas of particular study include the embodied sermon, cutting the “chaff” that clouds the message, and using fresh language that connects with our common experience.
As the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement, we dream and work to foster Beloved Communities where all people may experience dignity and abundant life and see themselves and others as beloved children of God.
The StorySharing Tent and Showcase planned for our postponed convocation have transformed into a YouTube playlist! We invite you to listen as people share stories of their own journey of becoming.
As you watch, we invite you to wonder: What do I dream… for myself? My community? My church?
Explore our complete StorySharing journey on our Becoming Beloved Community website
StorySharing retreat
Our next StorySharing event will be an in-person retreat at the Procter Center, October 8-9, where we will practice contemplative listening and sharing as we tell the story of Me, the story of We, and the story of Us and Now.
Ohio bills banning the of teaching “critical race theory” grades K-12 are arousing great concern among people of faith working for racial justice and reconciliation. The Statehouse News Bureau reported Sept. 29 about the controversial bills, House Bill 322 and HB 327, both of which have been referred to the House State and Local Government Committee where they had their first hearings in June.
The Ohio Legislature failed to come up with a map for Ohio’s new Congressional districts, which will be reduced by 1 seat, so the task now goes to the Ohio Redistricting Commission. That’s the same group which – by a straight party vote (5 Republicans for, 2 Democrats against) – passed maps guaranteeing a super-majority to Republicans in both the Ohio House and Senate. Those state district maps are now facing several lawsuits over their legality under the Ohio Constitution.
Advocacy briefings and updates are compiled by Ariel Miller, a member of Ascension & Holy Trinity, Wyoming, and a member of the diocesan Becoming Beloved Community Leadership Team.
News from our Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral is located at 318 E. 4th Street in downtown Cincinnati.
Masks are to be worn at all cathedral services and events.
Music Live at Lunch
Music Live at Lunch, Christ Church Cathedral's weekly concert series, is celebrating its 50th year! Music Live at Lunch will feature the performers listed below in September. These free concerts are presented on Tuesdays at 12:10 p.m. Patrons may bring their own lunch or purchase one at the cathedral.
For more information, visit cincinnaticathedral.com or call 513-621-1817.
October 12: Clark & Jones Trio – Celtic music
October 19: Rebecca Culnan (violin) – Classical music
October 26: Transatlantis (formerly Frenchaxe) – French Café music
In Celebration – & Recognition – of Indigenous Peoples
Indigenous Peoples Celebration
Sunday, October 10, 10 a.m.
Join us on Sunday, October 10, at 10 a.m. as we celebrate the lives, gifts, and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of North America. The Rev. Canon Mary Crist, of the Blackfeet Nation, will preach. She is the Indigenous Theological Education Coordinator for the Episcopal Church and a member of the Presiding Bishop’s staff.
The worship music will include the anthem, “Earth Teach Me” by Rupert Lang and Janice Trytten on Native flutes.
Mary Crist to Lead Sunday Forum
Sunday, October 10, 11:30 a.m.
A presentation by the Rev. Canon Mary Crist, the Indigenous Theological Education coordinator for the Episcopal Church, on ministry and theological education of Native Americans.
News from the Procter Center
Procter Center is located at 11235 State Route 38 SE in London, Ohio.
Trans Faith Matters, an interfaith event inspired by the religious movement for LGBTQ equality and by the generosity of local congregations, will be held at Congregation Tifereth Israel on October 24 at 2 p.m., and will also be simultaneously live streamed. The event will aim to advance equality and inclusion for transgender, non-binary and gender diverse people, focusing on experiences, information and insights from community leaders and multiple faiths. The event is designed to provide opportunities to become better informed and more empathic and effective allies.
We invite everyone not fully vaccinated to join via livestream at www.tiferethisrael.com. Congregation Tifereth Israel is located at 1354 E. Broad St. In-person attendees must wear masks and show COVID vaccine records consistent with guidance from the synagogue’s committee of medical professionals. Among those presenting will be TransOhio; Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO); Kaleidoscope Youth Center; an interfaith panel; and Mozaic, OSU Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Transgender Student Services, OSU Ethnic Student Services and Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival Family and Teen Area.
2022 Holy Land Pilgrimage & Study Tour
Tour Leaders – Canon Jason Oden & Rabbi Brad Hirschfield
March 17 – March 26
Scholarships are available for lay leaders, postulants, candidates, and clergy through the Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership’s Stand and See program and the Diocese of Southern Ohio.
Features of the trip:
Explore the sites of the Holy Land (Jerusalem, West Bank, and Galilee) through a diverse theological and political lens
Discuss Becoming Beloved Community in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Discover the ancient and modern sites, people, stories, and events of the Holy Land through articles, podcasts, and films curated by Canon Jason Oden
Unique stops on the itinerary curated by Rabbi Brad Hirschfield and local guide Gary Kamen, including Roots, a grassroots movement promoting understanding, nonviolence, and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians
Worship at St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem
An extended visit with The Rev. Nael Abu Rahmoun, vicar of Christ Church in Nazareth, to learn more about the peace and justice work that he and the congregation are engaged in for the Nazareth community.
Spiritual Practices and Experiences: Daily prayer, Eucharists, Stations of the Cross, baptismal renewal vows in the Jordan River
The Rev. Dan McClain, Priest in Charge at St. Paul’s, Dayton, will host a one-evening dinner gathering on Friday, October 22, at 6 p.m. at St. Paul’s to foster conversation around theological education in the parish and the diocese. Evening Prayer will be said beforehand at 5:15 p.m. Dan is president of the Society of Scholar Priests for 2021-22, and welcomes all clergy in the diocese to learn more about the Society and register for the event at this link.
Film screening and discussion
Sacred Conversations will sponsor Dr. Joan Ferrante’s “Mourning the Creation of Racial Equality” film screening and presentation on Saturday, October 16 at 1 p.m. on Zoom only.
Province Vof the Episcopal Church is a wonderful networking resource to connect with Episcopalians from the Midwest who share interest in a same ministry area. Province V Newsalso has information about webinars and other events of interest.
‘My Name Is Pauli Murray’ brings trailblazing Episcopal saint’s story to a wider audience
[Episcopal News Service] In the new documentary “My Name Is Pauli Murray,” filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen paint a picture of an unsung trailblazer who remains relatively unknown despite her lasting influence on American society. Episcopalians know her as the first African American woman to be ordained a priest and as a pioneer in the struggles for racial and gender equality. But many may not know about other important aspects of her life, such as her struggle to come to terms with her gender identity in an era long before transgender people were accepted in mainstream society.
A church focused outside our doors, loving and serving Jesus Christ in our beloved communities in relevant ways, both new and traditional.
OUR MISSION
Christ is calling us into meaningful connections with each other that transcend all boundaries, and to act on those connections for the benefit of all. By these connections we are made whole.
