[edow] Church House News

[Church House News]

NOVEMBER 25, 2009

 

*** The weekly bulletin for clergy, wardens, diocesan committee members, convention delegates and church administrators in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington ***

 

DIOCESAN YOUTH MISSIONER CALLED

Bishop John Bryson Chane has called the Rev. Jessica Hitchcock to serve as the Diocesan Youth Missioner on a permanent basis. Hitchcock has served in this role as an interim for much of this year, following the departure of Paul Canady. A search committee worked under the direction of diocesan human resources administrator Kathleen Hall and the Committee on Youth provided valuable input that was enormously helpful in developing the profile for the search.

 

ONLINE ADVENT CALENDAR

The diocese's sixth annual online Advent calendar, http://www.edow.org/advent, features a brilliantly-colored nativity scene that  is actually a child's puzzle, created by a Sri Lankan cooperative working with SERRV International (http://www.serrv.org/).Visitors can open windows revealing figures from Washington National Cathedral's annual crèche exhibit, http://nationalcathedral.org/events/creche2009.shtml, read daily meditations on Episcopal Café, http://www.episcopalcafe.com/thesoul/, and make a donation to the diocese's Advent appeal, which supports church-sponsored sewing ministries in Swaziland (http://www.edow.org/ministries/southernafrica/sapc_index.html).

 

SIERRA LEONEAN WORSHIPPING COMMUNITY - INAUGURAL SERVICE

The time and location for the inaugural service of the new Sierra Leonean Worshipping Community has changed. The service will now take place at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at Our Saviour, Hillandale. Visit http://www.episcopalcos.org/community.asp for directions and http://www.edow.org/news/window/2009/nov-dec/sierra-leoneans.html for more information about the community.

 

ECW-EDOW ADVENT PRAYER BREAKFAST

The fifth annual ECW-EDOW Advent Prayer Breakfast is set for 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 5 at the Sheraton Washington North Hotel (4095 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville, Md.  20705). The Rev. Janice Robinson will lead participants into Advent; and the ECW Chaplain, the Rev. Caron Gwynn, will give the invocation. Tickets are $35 and must be purchased in advance. Contact SSS-ECW at rcn.com or phone 202/537-6530.

 

CHORAL EVENSONG FOR THE FEAST OF CHRIST THE KING

A Choral Evensong for the Feast of Christ the King sung by the choir of St. Paul's, Rock Creek, is set for 4 p.m. Nov. 22 at the church, featuring the music of Friedell, Thalben-Ball and Byrd. Call 202/726-2080 for further information or visit http://www.stpaulsrockcreek.org/

 

BLUE CHRISTMAS SERVICE

This service reaches out to all who are burdened, providing a chance to acknowledge the blue feelings many have at this time of year and encouraging us to offer them up to God. It is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 14 at St. Columba's, D.C.

 

CHRISTMAS BAZAAR AND CAFÉ AT ST. GEORGE'S, D.C.

St. George's, D.C. (160 U Street NW) will hold a Christmas Bazaar and Café from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 5, featuring dinners, crafts, raffles, baked goods, children's books, local vendors and more. Presented by St. George's ECW and offered again after church on Sunday, Dec. 6, noon to 1:30 p.m.

 

ADVENT PREACHING SERIES AT ST. COLUMBA'S

This year St. Columba's will mark the four Sundays of Advent with a series of sermons, titled Aroused to Hope, Choosing to Grow, offered at the three morning Eucharists in the nave (8 a.m., 9 a.m., 11:15 a.m.). The topics are: Advent I: Growing in Community (the Rev. Rob Boulter) Advent II: Growing in Worship (the Rev. Janet Vincent) Advent III: Growing in Maturity (the Rev. Martin Smith) Advent IV: Growing in Service (the Rev. Rose Duncan). For further information, contact the church at 202/363-4119 or www.columba.org 

 

PLEASE REMEMBER IN YOUR PRAYERS

Please keep the following clergy and members of the diocese in your prayers this week: 

* Craig Eder - prayers at the time of his death (11/22/09) - Funeral 12/12 (1pm)at St. Columba's

* Louise Lusignan - personal health (hip surgery)

* Gini Gerbasi - personal health

* Susan Astarita - husband's health (Bruce)

* Meshack Mabuza (Bishop of Swaziland) - personal health (hip replacement)

* Lucy Bremner - personal health

* David and Beth Black - personal health of both

* Kathy Corbett-Welch - personal health 

* Erica Wood - personal health

* Mary Sulerud - sister's health (Chris )

* Claudia Tielking - son's health (Josh)

* Jake Beck - personal health

* Ted Eastman - granddaughter's health (Shannon)

* Susan Blue - personal health 

* Roy Turner -  personal health

* Prince Decker - sympathy for mother-in-law's death (Sarata)

* John Ball - sympathy at the time of his mother's death (Ann)

 

>> ADVENT RETREATS:

 

ADVENT RETREAT AT ST. COLUMBA'S, D.C.

Exploring Active Prayer, an Advent retreat led by the Rev. Rob Boulter, is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Dec. 5 at St. Columba's, D.C. The retreat offers something for folks who enjoy quiet contemplation and for those who prefer a more active spiritual experience. Dress in comfortable clothes and bring an instrument if you play one. A simple lunch will be provided (donation: $10). To register, contact Anona Fowler (202/363-4119, ext. 229; afowler at columba.org) by Dec. 3.

 

ADVENT SILENT RETREAT AT BON SECOURS

An Advent Silent Retreat sponsored by the Diocesan Retreat Committee is set for Dec. 4-6 at Bon Secours Spiritual Center in Marriottsville, Md. Retreat director is the Very Rev. Ian Markham, dean of Virginia Theological Seminary. The theme will be "Faith, Forgiveness and Peace: Bringing Human Complexity to God." There will be opportunities for consultation or confession with Markham. Fee is $195. Visit www.edow.org/retreat for information and application, or contact Joan Shelton at 202/232-1667 or joanshelton at verizon.net. 

 

ADVENT WEEKEND RETREAT AT DAYSPRING

Places are available on the Dayspring Retreat Center's Advent Weekend Retreat, set for Dec. 4-6 (Germantown). Retreat leader Kim Montroll will lead participants through meditations, prayer and silence to awaken and prepare for Advent, literally "arrival." Visit www.dayspringretreat.org for further information about this and other retreats at Dayspring. 

 

ADVENT QUIET DAY AT ST. PAUL'S, K STREET

All are invited to participate in an Advent Quiet Day, a silent day of prayer and reflection sponsored by St. Paul's, K Street and the Diocesan Retreat Committee from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 12 at St. Paul's (2430 K St. NW). The Rev. Scott Kisker, from Wesleyan Seminary, will be the retreat director, with meditations on the theme, "The Coming of the Word of God: Into the Mess of Our Lives, in Surprising Ways, To Be with Us." There is no charge. Please contact Margaret Bennett to register at 202/337-3415 or EDOWRetreats at comcast.net 

 

ADVENT QUIET DAY AT EPIPHANY, D.C.

"An Advent Quiet Day - God's Invitation to Sacred Time" led by Sister Carol Ries of the Holy Names is set for 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at Epiphany, D.C. (1317 G St, NW) Ries is director of the Washington Theological Union's Spiritual Direction Studies Program. Coffee and pastries will be available at 9 a.m., with talks and times for silent reflection beginning at 9:30 a.m. There is no charge, but a free will offering is suggested. Reserve with Susan Walker at swalker at epiphanydc.org or 202/347-2635.

 

A BENEDICTINE EXPERIENCE

Experience the quiet, discipline and community of a contemplative retreat sponsored by The Friends of St. Benedict and the Diocese of Maryland, set for Dec. 10-13 at the Bishop Claggett Center in Buckeystown. Participants will take part in an ordered day of prayer, study, work and leisure. Presenters will be the Rev. Margaret Guenther and the Rev. Barbara Henry. Contact saintbenedict at prospect-tech.com or 202/363-8061, or visit www.benedictfriend.org 

 

>>> REMINDERS:

 

WELCOME TABLE THANKSGIVING DINNER

Help The Welcome Table (a ministry of Epiphany, D.C.) provide a Thanksgiving Dinner for the downtown poor by sponsoring a meal ($25 per plate). Go to https://secure.qgiv.com/cps_donors/index.php?key=epiphany fill out the form, select "donation" and direct your gift  to "Welcome Table Thanksgiving." For more information contact 202/347-2635 or rcharles at epiphanydc.org The dinner is set for 5 p.m. Nov. 25 and the menu includes turkey, dressing, gravy, yams, green beans, rolls and pumpkin pie.

 

CLERGY ADVENT DISCUSSION WITH MARCUS BORG

Bishop John Bryson Chane invites clergy to join Marcus Borg in an Advent discussion based on his book, "The First Christmas: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Birth," from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at the National 4H Conference Center (in the OHIO ROOM), 7100 Connecticut Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815. The cost is $15. Please register by Nov. 30 at www.edow.org/events  "Clergy Advent Discussion with Marcus Borg." Please contact Sheryl Wilcox, swilcox at edow.org or 202/537-6557 if you have questions.

 

SAFEGUARDING GOD'S CHILDREN

The final fall session for Safeguarding God's Children, the child abuse prevention training course for all paid full time parish/school staffs and all who work with children and youth, is set for Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. Dunstan's, Bethesda. Register online at www.edow.org/prevention

 

ST. TIMOTHY'S ECW'S 6TH ANNUAL TEA

St. Timothy's ECW's 6th Annual Tea is set for 3 to 5 p.m. Dec. 5. The theme is "God's Grace & Inspiration For Thine Spirit." All women and young ladies are invited to share their GIFTS through demonstration, display or discussion. Tickets are $10. Contact Jozetta Robinson at 202/369-6010 by Nov. 29 if you are interested in sharing your gift. For tickets or to serve as a hostess, contact Stephanie Robinson, 301/552-1643 or Kellie Robinson, 202/543-9171, by Nov. 29.  

 

ST. ANDREW'S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL ADMISSION OPEN HOUSES

St. Andrew's Episcopal School, Potomac will host open houses on the following dates (tours at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.; information session at 10 a.m.):

* Grades 4-12: Dec. 5

* Preschool (Age 2 - Grade 3): Nov. 17 and Dec. 12

Contact 301/983-5200 or www.saes.org for more information.

 

BISHOP WALKER SCHOOL AT ST. MARY'S, FOGGY BOTTOM

St. Mary's, Foggy Bottom will host pupils, faculty, staff and the Board of Governors of the Bishop John T. Walker School at a special worship service set for 10 a.m. Dec. 6. Homilist will be the Rev. Preston Hannibal, canon for academic ministries. Reception with a guest speaker will follow. All are invited. For further information, contact Kathrine Ebert at 202/333-3985.

 

WOMEN'S DAY AT CALVARY, D.C.

Celebrate Women's Day at Calvary, D.C. (820 6th Street, NE) on Dec. 6. The celebration, sponsored by The Episcopal Church Women & Girls of Calvary, will begin with a 10 a.m. Women's Day Service featuring guest speaker Cheryl B. Warley. A Holiday Brunch with a live performance of seasonal music by the Tommy Bryant Combo will immediately follow in the Parish Hall. Tickets for the brunch are $20 (adults); $10 (youth). Please contact MaryRose Chappelle, ECW&G president, at 202/396-6676.

 

INTERFAITH EVENT FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE

YesMEP, a partnership of diverse religious and secular Americans in the Washington, D.C., area who support peace between Israelis and Palestinians, will hold its first major event from 2 to 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Sixth and I Streets NW Synagogue. General admission: $15/advance; $18/door; seniors and under 25s/$10; premium seating/$30. Visit www.yesmep.org for further information.

 

BETHLEHEM SERVICE

The third annual Joint Simulcast Worship Service with the People of Bethlehem is set for 10 a.m. Dec. 19 in Washington National Cathedral's Bethlehem Chapel. In Washington, the service will be led by Bishop John Bryson Chane and Bishop Richard Graham of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Dean Samuel T. Lloyd and the Rev. Canon Steve Huber, the cathedral's vicar. In Bethlehem Dr. Mitri Raheb, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and Bishop Suheil Dawani of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem will preside. The service is sponsored by the Ad Hoc Committee for Bethlehem, Sharing Jerusalem and Washington Interfaith Alliance for Middle East Peace. 

 

2009 CHILDREN TO CHILDREN ADVENT APPEAL

Materials have been mailed to each parish (Attn: Director of Sunday School/Christian Education) and also can be found at www.edow.org/sapc  This year's appeal, through the sale of hand knitted stuffed teddy bears, provides income to working mothers and grandmothers for their children and families in Swaziland. Any Christmas requests must be received by Dec. 14. Parishes are asked to send in group orders on the parish order form included in the mailing or obtainable from the Web site. Orders will be available, however, through January or as supplies last. Materials include a storybook and an activities guide to use in your Sunday School classes. Contact Cheryl Daves Wilburn at cwilburn at edow.org with any questions.

 

CHRISTMAS TREE SALE

Our Saviour, Silver Spring will hold its 53rd Annual Christmas Tree Sale beginning Nov. 29.  Beautiful, high quality trees, sold with love and good spirit. Proceeds support the mission and ministries of Our Saviour. The sale is set for 3 to 9 p.m. most weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. The church is located at 1700 Powder Mill Road, Silver Spring. 301/439-5900.  

 

115th  DIOCESAN CONVENTION

The 115th Diocesan Convention is set for Jan. 29-30 at Washington National Cathedral. The preacher at the Friday night Eucharist will be Byron Rushing from the Diocese of Massachusetts. Keynote speaker will be the Rev. Thomas Brackett, Program Officer: Church Planting Specialist, Evangelism & Congregational Life Center, from the Episcopal Church Center. 

* Exhibit requests must be received no later than Dec. 16. Exhibitors are invited to apply at http://convention.edow.org  

* Resolutions or canonical change requests must be signed by a member of Convention and received by no later than 5 p.m. Nov. 30. For assistance and standard format, visit http://convention.edow.org  or contact Ann Talty at 202/537-6548. Please submit to: Secretary of the Convention, Episcopal Church House, Mount St. Alban, Washington, DC  20016.

 

SAVE THE DATE: 2010 MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION  

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington's 2010 Mardi Gras Celebration is set for Jan. 30 at the NRECA Conference Center, 4301 Wilson Blvd.  Arlington Va. Tickets: $65/person. Visit samaritanministry.org or contact Mary Belknap at 202/722-2280 x305 or mbelknap at samaritanministry.org 

 

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST IN COMMUNITY 

The spring 2010 session of Disciples of Christ in Community at Washington National Cathedral starts Jan. 23 and runs for 14 weeks. Each session is two hours long, 7-9 p.m. One Saturday session will be held on Feb. 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost is $100. Register at https://tickets.cathedral.org/public/show.asp Contact Sarah Rockwood at srockwood at cathedral.org or call the Cathedral Box Office at 877/537-2228. DOCC offers a journey into the heart and soul of Christianity. Each session consists of a presentation followed by a conversation in a small group that will stay together for the entire course.

 

MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Raise your parish voice on behalf of the world's poorest people. A new resource for parish use is available at www.e4gr.org/mdgs Remember that the EDOW/MDG Committee also welcomes calls for parish presentations. For further information, contact  Janeschubert at aol.com

 

APPLY NOW FOR THE SUMMER COLLEGIUM

Apply now for the Summer Collegium, a project in support of small congregations at Virginia Theological Seminary. Clergy (and spouses/partners) are invited to VTS for encouragement, education, rest and renewal (June 23-July1). All expenses are paid by a grant from the Lilly Endowment. Apply at  www.vts.edu/education/collegium or contact SummerCollegium at vts.edu or 703/461-1760. Applications must be postmarked by Dec. 15.  

 

HUMAN INTERACTION LAB TRAINING

Human Interaction Lab training, set for Feb.12-15 at St. Alban's, D.C.,  is an opportunity to learn more about yourself, how your behavior impacts others, and how you can function more effectively in a group and interpersonal situations. Participants will learn about their own patterns of behavior as they accept responsibility for a group's life and work. For further information or to register, visit http://www.congregationaldevelopment.com/LTI_programs.htm

 

HONDURAS TRIP 

The diocesan mission trip to Honduras is set for Jan. 10-20, 2010. The itinerary is: Jan 10-15 in Copan in intensive Spanish study, with home stays with local families; Jan. 16-20 in rural villages with Episcopal Church communities. Costs will be about $1,000 including language study and airfare. Contact Tom Cooke at thomasmcooke at hotmail.com or 202/686-0261.

 

CONTRIBUTING TO THE BISHOP JOHN T. WALKER SCHOOL

Contributions for the Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys can be sent to: The Bishop John T. Walker School, Episcopal Church House, Mount St. Alban Washington, D.C. 20016 or visit www.bishopwalkerschool.org

 

To unsubscribe from CHURCH HOUSE NEWS, do NOT reply to this message. Instead send an e-mail to newslist-request at edowmail.org and type Unsubscribe in the subject line. Leave the body of the message blank. Or go to http://lists.edowmail.org/mailman/listinfo/newslist scroll to the bottom of the page, type your e-mail address in the last field and click "Unsubscribe or edit options." On the following page, under unsubscribe, click the "unsubscribe" button. Either way, the system will send you a confirmation e-mail. Follow the link in the e-mail to confirm.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.edowmail.org/pipermail/newslist/attachments/20091125/ac2bacef/attachment-0001.html