The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island Blog

Standing Committee honors the life of Edmund C. Bennett

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:55:00 +0000

Bishop Search: Petition Process Now Open

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:27:00 +0000

The process for nominating candidates by petition to be considered for Bishop of Rhode Island is now open and will continue through 5p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time) Sunday, March 25.

The petition process replaces the former custom of allowing nominations from the floor during the electing convention. The Canons of the Diocese of Rhode Island do not permit nominations from the floor. Opening this process well in advance of the Convention will allow sufficient time to conduct the same kinds of background checks and deep reference checks on petition nominees as were conducted on other applicants. Those checks can identify any legal issues or red flags in a potential nominee’s background.

Complete information about the petition process, including requirements for submitting nominations, is posted on the Petition Process page of www.episcopalrisearch.org.

Video: Bishop Candidates Announced at Convocation 2012

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 22:11:00 +0000

Lora MacFall, chair of the RI Bishop Search and Nomination Committee, announces the 5 preliminary candidates for the 13th Bishop of Rhode Island. The Diocesan Election will take place June 2nd, 2012.

Diocese of RI Announces Preliminary Slate for Bishop

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:02:00 +0000

The Search and Nomination Committee has selected five priests to stand for election as the 13^th Bishop of Rhode Island. This preliminary slate consists of:

the Rev. Kurt Dunkle, 50, rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Orange Park, Florida (Diocese of Florida)

the Rev. Cathy George, 55, currently on a writing sabbatical; former priest-in-charge, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Dorchester, Massachusetts (Diocese of Massachusetts)

the Very Rev. Nicholas Knisely, 51, dean, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Phoenix, Arizona (Diocese of Arizona)

the Rev. Ledlie Laughlin, 52, rector, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Diocese of Pennsylvania)

the Rev. Jennifer Pedrick, 45, rector, Church of the Epiphany, Rumford, Rhode Island (Diocese of Rhode Island)

“The committee members spent 2½ days in discernment with these priests, and I am very excited about what each of them would bring to the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island,” said Lora MacFall, chair of the Search and Nomination Committee. “That weekend was the final step in a nine-month process that was centered in prayer, and respectful listening and conversation.”

That process began with the development of the diocesan profile (www.episcopalrisearch.org/profile/), which described the hopes and challenges of the diocese and outlined the strengths and skills the diocese is seeking in its next bishop.

More than 40 individuals responded to the profile by submitting applications that included answers to four essay questions and an autobiography. The committee interviewed 19 of the applicants by Skype (computer-based video technology) and then visited nine, all of whom then were invited to Rhode Island for the discernment weekend. Following that weekend, the committee agreed on this preliminary slate of five.

Beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday, March 11) and continuing through 5 p.m. on March 25, additional nominees may be added by petition. The transition blog/website (www.episcopalrisearch.org) includes complete information about the requirements for nominations by petition (including signatures from four clergy members who are canonically resident in the Diocese of Rhode Island and four lay people who are delegates to the electing convention in each of the six Rhode Island deaneries).

All the nominees will visit the diocese for a walkabout May 11 – 12, featuring an all-day public event on Saturday, May 12, at St. Andrew’s School in Barrington, where they will make remarks and answer questions from lay and clergy attendees.

The 13th Bishop of Rhode Island will be elected at a special diocesan convention on Saturday, June 2, at St. Paul’s Church in Pawtucket. Because the election will occur close in time to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in July, church canons provide for the required consents to be sought from the bishops and deputies at General Convention. Subject to obtaining that consent, the bishop-elect will be consecrated at a ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. George’s School in Middletown.

For more information, visit the transition blog/website (www.episcopalrisearch.org).

Kony 2012 Viral Video & Our Companion Diocese of Ezo

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:57:00 +0000

In December of 2008, while visiting our Companion Diocese of Ezo in the South Sudan on the Ugandan border, Bishop Wolf and Tom narrowly missed a masscre by Joseph Kony's army of abducted child soldiers, known as the Lord's Resistance Army(LRA). Such attacks have been a regular part of life for Ezo for decades, and many villagers have fled their homes in fear of the LRA,to live like refugees in the cities where numbers can provide some protection. When Bishop John Zawo visited us in 2010 he showed us shocking pictures of the 20-30,000 refugees that have been living for years in cardboard and tarp tents outside the grass hut "city" of Ezo Town.

Now, an organization called Invisible Children is using social media to raise awareness of Joseph Kony's LRA, and have released a video to introduce the world to the man. Their focus is on the plight of the 30,000 plus children who have been abducted into Joseph Kony's army and raised on a brutal diet of murder, mutilation, and bloodshed. The number of people displaced and lives lost are hard to count, but much higher.

In the last 4 days a shocking 35 million people have watched this 30 minute video. If you haven't seen this important video yet, watch all 30 minutes. It may change the way policy decisions are made in this country, and could mean a world of difference in the lives of our friends in Ezo.

In May of 2011 Bishop Wolf herself met with policy makers in D.C. to campaign for aid to Ezo and the S. Sudan. As their 20 year civil war with the North Sudan came to a close,LRA's sieges have continued. Bishop John Zawo and others even believe that the North Sudan is helping arm and fund the LRA's attacks, even today.

Pray for our brothers and sisters in Ezo, many of whom have lost loved ones, homes, herds and crops to the LRA. Pray as well for the generation Joseph Kony has kidnapped for his army. Watch the video below.

For More info on the LRA and Invisible Children check out these articles:

Bishop Search: Petition Process and the Walkabout

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:49:00 +0000

Two items highlight the latest news from the Rhode Island bishop transition process:

The process for nominating candidates by petition will open March 11.
The “walkabout” for final nominees will be highlighted by an all-day event May 12 at St. Andrew’s School in Barrington.

Petition Process to Open March 11th

The process for nominating candidates by petition to be considered for bishop will open at 9 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, and continue through 5 p.m. Sunday, March 25 (all times Eastern Standard Time).

The petition process replaces the former custom of allowing nominations from the floor during the electing convention. The Canons of the Diocese of Rhode Island do not permit nominations from the floor. Opening this process well in advance of the convention will allow the Search & Nomination Committee sufficient time to conduct the same kinds of background checks and deep reference checks on petition nominees as were conducted on other applicants. Those checks can identify any legal issues or red flags in a candidate’s background.

All application packets from petition candidates must be sent in to the Search & Nomination Committee both electronically via email and in hard-copy form via postal mail. Application packets must include:

Completed Petition Candidate Application Form with attached answers to four essay questions;
Signed Petition Signatures Form for each of the six Rhode Island deaneries, with a total of 48 signatures; for each of the six deaneries petition candidates will need signatures from:

four clergy members who are canonically resident in the Diocese of Rhode Island; and
four lay people who are delegates to the electing convention

Curriculum vitae/resume;
Updated Office of Transition Ministry (OTM) Form;
Signed Consent and Authorization of a Petition Candidate Form;
500-word maximum autobiographical statement;
List of all bishops served under, with contact information;
Two recent photographs of the petition candidate: one head-and-shoulders portrait, and one showing the candidate participating in a church-related activity. (Electronic versions of photos must be in .jpg format for the emailed application packet; hard copies of photos are optional for the printed packet); and
Completed Petition Candidate Reference Forms and letters of reference from three references, to be sent in separately by the references. More information about the petition process will be posted on the transition blog/website (www.episcopalrisearch.org) when the process opens.

The Walkabout

Details are being confirmed for the “walkabout” of bishop nominees that will take place May 11 and May 12.

On May 11, nominees will meet with Bishop Wolf and then tour at least part of the state, with “shepherds” from the Search & Nomination Committee and Transition Committee as their guides. On that evening, Emmanuel Church in Newport will host a private dinner for the nominees and their spouses, and members of the Search & Nomination, Transition and Oversight Committees.

On Saturday, May 12, all clergy and laypeople (and especially delegates to the electing convention) are invited to participate in an all-day event at St. Andrew’s School in Barrington. More specifics about time and format will be posted on the transition blog/website (www.episcopalrisearch.org) as the event approaches.

Bishop Search: Reflection and Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Today’s post is another in a series of reflections and impressions from members of the Search & Nomination Committee and Transition Committee. This post is from Grace Swinski, a member of the Transition Committee and a member of St. Paul’s, Pawtucket. For more information visit www.episcopalrisearch.org

Transition, as defined in Webster’s dictionary, means movement, passage or change from one position. This, my friends, is so true. I have been honored to serve on this committee with an interesting group of Episcopalians who hail from all over the state. The beginning stages of this group have been extremely interesting and a lot of fun. I have always enjoyed meeting others from the diocese who have the passion to be involved.

There are so many new terms to learn. I mean what is a “walkabout”? Does one prepare for a consecration or ordination? The first few months (we have been meeting since June), we have been in a holding pattern on places and dates. But as the winter progresses so has the excitement of actual site visits for some of the events. I have been on some wonderful field trips to see some wonderful Episcopal places in our small but beautiful state. The committee is trying to be thoughtful about finding venues in each part of the state.

The walkabout is basically a Q&A session with the candidates for bishop. All congregations and delegates are invited to attend. We had been looking at many churches to see which had space. One afternoon I was driving to a church in question to see if the space would work for this event. I went with blind faith and hoped that the church would be open, but if not at least I would peer in the windows to get a basic idea.

When I arrived at the church, at first it looked like only the Holy Spirit was home. But as I went to the rear of the building I noticed a car parked near a door. I knocked and, yes, it was answered!! A lovely gentleman opened the door. He and two other were finishing up their day’s ministry of working in the “coat closet.” With great pleasure they told me about their ministry there — how they give all items free to people in need. I was also given a tour of the space and saw all the exciting things happening in the church. I explained to them about the process of transition and how this was an exciting time. As I was listening to their stories about the “closet” I couldn’t help but think about the transitions they help people with each day.

Items have been posted about the places of some events, and I hope all will stay as planned. I look forward to the coming months and working with my committee and helping the new bishop transition in Rhode Island

Edmund C. Bennett, Diocesan Chancellor, Passes Away

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:32:00 +0000

[2/28/2012] Last night, Edmund C. Bennett, Chancellor of the Diocese of Rhode Island for over forty years, died of an aggressive genetically based form of acute leukemia. Six weeks ago Ed was taken to Rhode Island Hospital for a series of tests and was diagnosed.

Earlier yesterday evening Bishop Wolf sent out a message stating that Ed had requested privacy early on in his illness, but that the time to ask for prayers had come. She wrote:

"he has not responded to treatment and is now in the intensive care unit. In consultation with Missy, his wife, I ask for your prayers as his doctors attempt yet another treatment...

Throughout these weeks, I have visited Ed, when medically possible, talked with Missy, exchanged emails and telephone calls and offered up many prayers. I share this with profound sadness, as Ed has served all of us with extraordinary generosity, wisdom, and integrity. I write this through tears."

His funeral will be held on Saturday, March 3, at 11 a.m. at S. Stephen’s Church, 114 George Street, Providence. His wife, Carole Ann "Missy" Bennett, invites all to attend.

Ed and Missy Bennett met at our own ECC summer camp in High School, and have been integrally involved in the ministries and administrations of the Diocese of Rhode Island for the majority of their lives. Please keep Missy, as well as their children and grandchildren, in your prayers.

"Remember thy servant Edmund, O Lord, according to the favor which thou bearest unto all thy people: Open to him the gates of larger life, that he may go from strength to strength in the life of perfect service in thy heavenly kingdom. Amen"

The Latest eRISEN - February 27th 2012

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:03:00 +0000

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

eRISEN: 2/27/2012 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN on our website.

Three Things that Excite Me About Convocation

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:27:00 +0000

From the Mission Task Force Blog
by The Rev'd Peter Lane, Interim Rector
St David's on-the-Hill, Cranston

Register online for Convocation by March 2nd

The first is having the chance to see Sara Miles again. I was part of a convocation she facilitated two years ago in the Diocese of Olympia. Ms. Miles is dynamic, provocative (in the best sense of that word) and passionate about her ministry. I’m glad to have the chance to see her again, and to have my friends and colleagues here in the Diocese of Rhode Island meet and work with her as well. Get ready to be inspired.

The second thing that excites me about Convocation is the energy and enthusiasm I’m picking up every time I talk with someone about our focus of feeding hungers in our lives. People are quite literally hungry for ways to get involved in feeding ministries. I think the Mission Task Force has really tapped into a vital concern in our parishes across the diocese, and folks are ready to both learn how they can help and to bring that message back to their congregations. Get ready to be involved.

The third thing that really excites me is re-discovering that wonderful truth about God’s economy – “give and you will receive”. Every time I’ve had the chance to offer a hand up to someone – a bag of groceries, a hearty meal, a roof over their head, hope for a better tomorrow – I come away realizing how deeply I’ve been blessed by the chance to help. Its part of the wild and wonderful way God operates. The more I give away, the richer I feel, the more I empty myself, the fuller I am. Get ready to revel in God’s abundance.

Don’t forget that every parish has been invited to bring a display about feeding ministries going on in your parish – food pantries, soup kitchens, community gardens, nutrition programs – whatever is feeding people in your community, come and share with the rest of us so that we might learn from you and be inspired to go and do likewise.

For more information and to register visit www.episcopalri.org/convocation

RI Clergy giving out Ashes to Go

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:23:00 +0000

Clergy distribute 'ashes to go' at train station in Providence
The Providence Journal

February 22, 2012 10:32 am

By Richard C. Dujardin

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- "Ashes to go. I love it."
That was the reaction of an Amtrak policeman when he saw a pair of clergy distribute ashes on the foreheads of passers-by outside Providence's train station early Wednesday.. read the full PROJO Article here

RI Episcopalians' Random Acts of Kindness Inspire ECF Article

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:18:00 +0000

Feeding Others – And Ourselves
by Nancy Davidge on February 16, 2012

...The iTunes gift card on my desk prompted a memory: The random acts of kindness inspired by Bishop Wolf of Rhode Island which I read about in the Winter 2012 issue of RISEN Magazine.

"At Diocesan Convention in November Bishop Wolf gave each attendee a Stop and Shop gift card and asked them to match it and give the cards away to someone in need. She exhorted us all to give generously and joyously; to someone we meet along the way, or to ourselves if we really need it. Now, doing random acts of kindness, in person, is far beyond the comfort zone of some. But generous and loving giving at the prompt of the Holy Spirit can be a gift to your own heart as well as the recipient. It can be a powerful experience. We asked for your stories of how you gave your card away and what it felt like."

These stories are a powerful witness. They share the anxiety related to how to decide who to give the card to – and a fear of inadvertently offending as well as consideration of the ‘safe’ option of donating the cards to an organization and letting someone else determine who would get the cards... Read the full article here

Cathedral of St. John to Suspend Services

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:41:00 +0000

The Episcopal Cathedral of Saint John in Providence, Rhode Island announces today that due to dwindling financial resources, worship and pastoral services will be suspended after April 22nd, 2012.

The St. John’s building at 271 North Main will retain its status as the Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. A Cathedral serves as the seat of the bishop, the central place of pastoral and teaching ministries for all Episcopal churches in that diocese.

“The Cathedral congregation has experienced serious financial difficulty, and a decision was made to suspend services for now,” said The Rt. Rev. David Joslin, Acting Dean of the Cathedral of St. John. “This decision, of course, was not made lightly or quickly. And additionally, it does not permanently close the Cathedral; it only ceases the usual Sunday services and pastoral care,” he said.

The Acting Dean remarked that this financial situation has been evolving for many years, and has now come to the place where it needs to be addressed.

Members of the Cathedral congregation are being welcomed to join Grace Church on Westminster Street in Providence, or any of the 52 Episcopal churches in Rhode Island. There are six other Episcopal churches located in Providence alone.

The Cathedral of Saint John, which was established as King’s Chapel in 1722, has been a continuing center for worship and outreach for 290 years. In 1794, the name of the church was changed to Saint John, and in 1929, the church became the official seat of the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, receiving its designation as the Cathedral of Saint John.

The last Holy Eucharist for the Cathedral congregation will be held on Sunday April 22nd at 9:30 AM, followed by a time to celebrate St. John’s many years of service to God, to the Providence community, and to the Diocese of Rhode Island.

Bishop Search: Committee Completes Visits to Candidates

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:40:00 +0000

The work of the Search & Nomination Committee took another big step forward in the past few weeks as committee members completed visits to nine candidates who are being considered for the next Bishop of Rhode Island.

Two-member teams visited the candidates’ home parishes to observe liturgies and sermons, further interview the candidates, and meet with staff members and lay leaders.

As background checks and other deeper reference-checks for each candidate continue, the teams are filing reports from the visits to bring the full committee up to date with impressions, findings, etc. The next step is to determine whether to bring all nine candidates or some smaller number to Rhode Island in late February to participate with committee members in a discernment weekend.

At this point, the process remains on track for a mid-March announcement of the slate of three to five finalists.

The committee also has begun work on the process that will be used if people want to nominate other candidates by petition. The petition period will take place March 11 – 25 to allow sufficient time for full reference checks of priests, if any, who are nominated by petition.

As announced in late January, the timing and location of some upcoming transition events have changed:

The walkabout of finalist candidates will occur May 11 – 12 instead of May 18 – 19
The June 2 electing convention will take place at St. Paul’s in Pawtucket rather than St. Luke’s in East Greenwich
The celebration of Bishop Wolf’s ministry will be from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, September 23, at St. Luke’s, East Greenwich

Bishop Wolf speaks on panel as the Church of England debate on female bishops begins anew.

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:16:00 +0000

Bishop Geralyn Wolf of the diocese of Rhode Island was the fifth female bishop consecrated in the Episcopal Church. As The Church of England General Synod resumed their debate over women bishops, she took time from her sabbatical to speak on a panel sponsored by WATCH (Women and the Church) last week. Read this article by Episcopal News Service for the full story.

Church of England Resumes Women Bishops DebateBy Matthew Davies | February 7, 2012 |

[Episcopal News Service] The key legislation that will enable women to be appointed and consecrated as bishops in the Church of England has returned to General Synod for further debate and final drafting during its Feb. 6-9 group of sessions in London.

During the past 18 months the legislation has been given the nod by 42 of the 44 diocesan synods throughout England, but it now requires a two-thirds majority in each of the three houses of General Synod – bishops, clergy and laity – for it to be adopted... read the full article here

The Latest e-RISEN: 2/13/12

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:40:00 +0000

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

eRISEN: 2/13/2012 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN on our website.

Holy Trinity, Tiverton in the Sakonnet Times

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:37:00 +0000

By Tom Killin Dalglish As of Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Sakonnet Times

TIVERTON — Three centuries have passed since a lone minister served his scattered flock across the river by horseback, and this year, Holy Trinity Church has reason to celebrate.

The Episcopal church, whose roots are on Aquidneck Island but whose home now overlooks the Sakonnet River at 1956 Main Road, turns 300 years old in 2012... Click here for the full Sakonnet Times article and photos.

The Latest e-RISEN: 1/27/2012

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:06:00 +0000

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

eRISEN: 1/27/2012 issue

Want to subscribe to the eRISEN mailing list? Want to submit your event? Just visit eRISEN on our website.

Mission Task Force Update: Convocation 2012

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:48:00 +0000

From Risen Magazine's Winter 2012 Issue

By The Rev. Dcn. Ricky Brightman

Right now I know it’s difficult to think about MARCH but listen up – Convocation 2012 is coming and it will be different this year. There’s one unified topic – "Feeding the Hungry". We will be together for two days with an opportunity to feed our bodies and souls so that we will be better able to move out and feed others! Save the dates of March 9 and 10.

On Friday evening we will gather at St. Luke’s Church for a creative and inspiring worship service to be followed by a fabulous party and a community supper made by people in our parishes and brought together to share with everyone. Don’t leave the kids at home, they are welcome to worship and dine with us, and there will also be child care provided. As at all parties, there will be surprises. Come and enjoy.

On Saturday morning we will gather at the Marriott in Providence for worship, learning and sharing - all in a variety of different ways. Our Convocation leader will be Sara Miles, author of "Take This Bread" and "Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, Raising the Dead". In these books, Miles describes her own experience of attending to and serving others at her own church, St. Gregory of Nyssa in San Francisco. While talking about feeding the body(ies), Sara also recounts the many ways she and others have been both host and guest in ministry. She will participate in our worship and learning in several ways.

We have also planned smaller group sessions : Planning and Offering Transcendent Worship; Feeding of the Physical Body; Radical and Intentional Hospitality; The Spiritual Feeding of Children and Youth. Some sessions will be repeated.

We hope you will put these dates on your own calendar now and save the time. Convocation is being planned this year by the Mission Task Force, a small working group that represents a diversity of churches in our diocese. We continue the work we began a year ago as we endeavored to develop a Diocesan-wide Mission Focus of "Feeding the Hungry".

Throughout this past year we have communicated with parishes about what activities they are engaged in and are doing well – soup kitchens and food pantries, as well as some new community gardens.

We know Convocation 2012 will further engage us in our efforts to feed the people we encounter in our daily lives as well as in our parishes. We hope to recognize good old ideas, explore new ones, provide a forum for sharing, and inspire us to move forward as "Episcopalians Feeding the Hungry". Look for further information on the Diocesan website or the talk-force blog, join our email list, or speak personally with a member of the Mission Task Force: Ricky Brightman (St. Luke’s EG), Buck Close (St. George’s), Bill Locke (St. Paul’s, Pawtucket), Jennifer Pedrick (Epiphany), Modesta Pellot (St. George’s), Melody Shobe (Emmanuel, Cumberland), Susan Wright (Ascension, Cranston).

What are YOU hungry for – food and shelter – understanding - companionship and community – knowledge – truth and honesty – relationship with God - a way to recognize and share your own gifts? We look forward to growing in meeting the hunger in ourself and in those whom God is inviting us to feed.

Bishop Search: Timing, Location Change for Some Transition Events

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:31:00 +0000

The Search & Nomination Committee and Transition Committee are announcing changes to when and where some of the upcoming transition events will occur.

The Walkabout of finalist candidates for bishop now will occur May 11 – 12 instead of May 18 – 19. The locations are still to be determined.

The June 2 Electing Convention will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Pawtucket instead of St. Luke’s, East Greenwich.

And the Celebration of Bishop Wolf’s Ministry now will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, September 23, at St. Luke’s, East Greenwich.

Jonathan Daniels House: Building the Kingdom of God with the People of S. Providence

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:52:00 +0000

From RISEN Magazine Winter 2012 issue

By The Rev. Edmund Harris

Jonathan Myrick Daniels was a 26-year-old seminarian when he heard the televised appeal of

Martin Luther King Jr. for students and clergy to join the struggle for civil rights. Inspired by the words of the Magnificat about the God who "hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meek," he knew he had to travel to Selma. Once in Alabama, he took up the work of building the Kingdom of God: integrating local Episcopal churches, registering African- American voters, tutoring children, and galvanizing relief agencies. After being released from jail for joining a picket line, Daniels was shot and killed while pushing an African-American teenage girl, Ruby Sales, out of harm’s way.

Although Daniels is recognized as a martyr of the Civil Rights Movement, few people know that he spent time ministering in South Providence before traveling south. Sheila Conway, who grew up in the Roger Williams Public Housing complex and attended Christ Church on the lower South Side, got to know Daniels when he worked at Church House, which offered programming for neighborhood youth. Conway vividly remembers the last time she saw Daniels. "Daniels was in town to say goodbye to friends and my family could not attend the gathering because a family member was ill. He made a point of stopping by our apartment to pray for healing," she recalled. "There was such a sense of calm." In August of 1965, a college student involved with Church House knocked on the door to personally tell them that Daniels had been killed.

Conway is now part of a new initiative in the Diocese to establish Jonathan Daniels House, a residential service community for young adults. As part of the Episcopal Service Corps, an expanding network of over twenty service communities for young adults in cities across the country, Jonathan Daniels House will welcome 4-8 young adults to South Providence, hopefully in the fall of 2013. Participants in Episcopal Service Corps communities live intentionally in Christian community, work alongside service agencies embedded in local communities, and engage in vocational and spiritual discernment for a period of 9-11 months. They receive a modest stipend to cover living expenses as well as health insurance, and are supported by a program director and mentors.

The idea of Jonathan Daniels House is the fruit of a yearlong study conducted by the South Providence Task Force. The Task Force considered how the Episcopal Church could maintain an active presence in South Providence following the closure of Church of the Epiphany there in 2009. As the Task Force considered how vital ministry of the Episcopal Church might emerge from the needs and hopes of communities in South Providence, including ways the Diocese might partner with existing organizations there, the possibilities for collaboration crystallized around the idea of planting a residential service community for young adults.

As members of the Task Force shared with Diocesan Council in June, a community like Jonathan Daniels House would have a wide-reaching impact in South Providence, forming diverse new communities of people, and expanding the reach of existing organizations and programs. Such a community would also have a significant impact on the life of the Diocese, nourishing a regular young adult presence, galvanizing parishes and diocesan organizations to become involved, and connecting the Diocese to the wider Church in service. "We can think of no better way to continue the work of justice and reconciliation for which Daniels lived and died," they said.



For more information on Jonathan Daniels House, including how you or your church might become involved, contact The Rev’d Edmund Harris at Edmund@epiphanyep.org or 401-434-5012

Search Process: Reflections and Impressions

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:44:00 +0000

Today’s post is another in a series of reflections and impressions from members of the Search & Nomination Committee and Transition Committee. This post is from the Rev. Canon Jonathan Huyck, rector of Grace Church in Providence and a member of the Search & Nomination Committee. Visit www.episcopalrisearch.org for more information

I’ve been serving as a member of the Bishop Search & Nomination Committee for our diocese for the last six months, and each phase the committee has gone through has been like a new chapter. As I write this, members of the committee are fanning out across the country to visit our candidates in their home churches and to meet with the people with whom they work closely. At the same time as these visits, we’ve also gone further than the initial three recommendations the candidates initially submitted and are engaging in what we on the committee call “deep referencing.” We’re speaking one-on-one with the candidates’ current and former associate rectors, former rectors, current and former bishops, etc. We know that nothing can tell us more about how someone would act as a bishop in the future than how they’ve been as a priest in the past. How did they treat that associate rector they supervised in the ‘90s? How helpful were they to their rectors when these candidates were themselves associate rectors in the ‘80s?

At the same time that we are trying to learn all we can about these candidates by talking with current and former colleagues, they are themselves in deep discernment. It may be easy enough to put in an application, but when the chances are 50-50 that you’ll actually end up on the slate for election to be the Bishop of Rhode Island, you start to discern a little harder! I have no doubt that our “quarterfinalists” are doing their own prayerful reflection as well as even deeper research into who we are here in Rhode Island and whether our diocese would be a good fit for their skills and interests.

If you’re wondering where it was that I went on my visit, the answer is that I went nowhere. Nowhere, because just two weeks before I was to fly west for an interview, the candidate in question withdrew from the race. And then there were nine. This happens often in bishop searches, and is, in fact, a sign of the deep discernment our candidates are doing just as we do our “deep referencing.” Although I was disappointed to see a strong candidate go (they’re all strong, at this point), I’m glad he had the wisdom to see now rather than later that he was not called to be the Bishop of Rhode Island at this time.

This stage is hard work, but it’s also great fun. We are getting to know some wonderful priests across the country, but what’s more, we’re getting to know each other on the committee in a more meaningful way. As one of our members said recently, “This is the most fun I’ve had in the diocese in years!” As someone still relatively new to the diocese (18 months), it has been wonderful for me to get to know my fellow Episcopalians – both lay and ordained – through this intensive process. There is a palpable excitement within our committee and a spirit of cooperation and mutual affection that augurs well (I rarely get to say “augur”) for the future of our diocese, hopefully with a wonderful bishop to channel that positive energy for the building up of the Kingdom of God here in Rhode Island!

The Latest eRISEN- January 17th 2012

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:16:00 +0000

You can view the latest issue of eRISEN, our biweekly email events calendar, at the link below:

eRISEN: 1/17/2012 issue

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Trinity, Cranston Earns Press for Turning $100 in Gift Cards Into $4,000

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:33:00 +0000

In the Warwick Beacon
12/28/11

Trinity Church makes Christmas special with $4,000 in donations
By Meg Fraser

At a Diocesan Conference, Trinity Church in Pawtuxet Village was given five $20 Stop & Shop gift cards. The Bishop issued a challenge for the parish to triple it, to distribute $300 worth of food to families in need.

By the end of mass the following Sunday, Trinity had collected $650 to distribute. By the end of the week, it was up to $900. And by the time Christmas rolled around, the Episcopal church had given out more than $4,000 worth of food and money... click here for full Warwick Beacon article

Bishop Wolf's Christmas Letter

noreply@blogger.com (The Episcopal Diocese of RI) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:31:00 +0000

Christmas 2011

Many years ago, on a sparkling clear Christmas Eve, a friend and I stood beneath the stars on a very cold and silent winter’s night. Our parents and siblings were having dinner inside the house, celebrating one of the eight days of Hanukah. Wrapped in a warm, jacket, barely audible from behind a large scarf, Mark lifted his head to the sky and said, “I don’t know about Jesus, or about what we’re supposed to believe about this night, but I know that something very special has occurred.”

Like Mark, some people will come to our churches this Feast of the Nativity, unsure of what they believe, but knowing deeply within their hearts that something special has occurred.

“Christmas is a time of coming to terms with God’s all embracing and redemptive love for us,” said the Archbishop of Canterbury. Perhaps what my friend Mark described as “special,” was a glimpse of God’s love and embrace, a mysterious “surrounding” for which he had no words.

God’s Word, spoken through a human voice and amplified by a divine heart, is for our well-being and fulfillment. He announces a truth from which we cannot hide, and through our persistent engagement with its message, we discover a new life has been born within. Through Jesus, God holds us and loves us with a loyalty that inspires us to reach out and hold the human family.

In these times of economic insecurity and grave uncertainty, the most important gift that we can give is ourselves; our steadfastness with others, our loyalty to the promises of God’s kingdom, our generosity in stilling the anxiety of others, our capacity to forgive and set free those living in the bondage of shame. The light of God leads us to peoples in whose heart Christ has already found a home, and from which we will discover anew the gift of God’s profound love.

With the pains of poverty or near poverty facing over 40% of our population and the persecution of Christians prevalent in so many countries in the world—we can learn much from the grace and faithfulness revealed through the deep heartache of these, our sisters and brothers, who are so rich in the spirit of Christ.

We may feel powerless to help, but I assure you that they are strengthened by the knowledge that their plight is not forgotten, and that the prayers of others unite us across otherwise insurmountable boundaries. So, we pray for all for whom Christ entered this world and died for its redemption. We pray, and we write letters; we share financial resources, and we spend time in listening. We give and we receive, a hundred fold. Through the power of the Word enfleshed, the Father’s love is born into the world, and into each of us. It is our joy to receive this gift as invitation and opportunity as we join in the long line of saints through whose lives others have experienced forgiveness and liberty.

To my priests and deacons, I know how challenging it is to focus on the word of God, when many look to you to attend to pastoral and liturgical details. May this holy season of the Nativity give you time for stillness in the face of such awesome responsibilities, and a deep knowledge of God’s devotion to you who have chosen to follow him in such a wondrous and generous calling.

May you have a Blessed Christmas, a joyous celebration of the Holy Name and the Feast of the Epiphany, and a season that reveals Jesus’ all encompassing love for you.

Yours Faithfully,

+Geralyn Wolf
Bishop of Rhode Island