Sunday, March 21 at 2:00 pm, at Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre.
**Biblical Understandings of Ministry
Good Samaritan, Sauk Centre -- 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at noon
**The Bible and Homosexuality
The Living Waters in Sauk Centre - 2nd Sundays at 8 pm
**Book Study: Making Sense of the Episcopal Church
St. Stephen's, Paynesville - scheduled Thursdays at 11am
**Shades of Gray at the Black and White:
Right and Wrong in the Episcopal Tradition
Our Saviour's -- 4th Wednesdays at 7:30 (dinner at 6:30)
--More information: Pat (320-262-7422) or
www.MotherFlash.com/spirit/education.html
For old-timers, new members, and anyone else interested in learning more about the Episcopal Church "then and now." St. Stephen's in Paynesville is hosting a book study on Making Sense of the Episcopal Church: An Introduction to its History by Ken Clark & Charlie Steen (Morehouse, 1996). Discussion about the contemporary church with an historical perspective. Thursday mornings, March 4 & 25, April 15, May 6 & 20, at 11:00 am. Book may be ordered from Pat Gillespie (contact info below) for $12.00. Order as soon as possible, please.
Other people's churches give clear and sometimes absolute directions about today's difficult moral questions -- issues like the death penalty, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia. The Episcopal Church seems to include people on a variety of sides of every issue -- shades of gray instead of neat black and white. Come learn, question, and discuss the tools the Episcopal Church does offer to inform our Christian consciences so we can make our own ethical decisions grounded in our common prayer and based on scripture, tradition, and reason. 4th Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm at the Black and White Hamburger Shop in Little Falls, beginning March 24 with a at 6:30, compliments of the chef (and junior warden) Ron Lyschik.
A Bible study focused on ministry and spiritual leadership: the way the Hebrew people and the Early Church served God in community. A variety of leadership roles will be considered: priests and prophets, deacons and elders, kings and shepherds, overseers and widows, apostles and disciples. Reflections on how to be faithful to the witness of tradition while ministering in today's world. Discussion also about biblical ways of selecting and appointing ministers. Tuesdays at noon at Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre.
A look at the six passages in the Bible that refer to same-gender sex and are key in the debate about how the church should respond to homosexual persons. Sponsored by The Living Waters, a worshiping community including gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons, this discussion is open to everyone who takes the Bible seriously and is willing to listen with respect to a variety of interpretations. 2nd Tuesday evenings at 8 pm (following 7 pm Holy Eucharist) at Good Samaritan in Sauk Centre.
On April 17, from about 10 -1 St. Anne's Altar Guild at St. John's, St. Cloud, will present a Spring Workshop/Celebration. A video, "The Stonecarvers," and a slide show, "Cathedral Flowers," will be shown. There will also be a tour of St. John's new facility and an exchange of ideas and pictures. Lunch is provided. (Yes! There is now a kitchen.) There is no charge. This event is specifically aimed at Altar Guilds but everyone is welcome. Please RSVP by April 10th to 320-251-8524. For further information E-mail to Jill
This space could be yours! Send your church news to news@MotherFlash.com or call Pat at 320-363-7422
Everyone keeps asking, "What is it?" So here's a start:
The Mission of Spirit of the Heartland is:
* to "listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches"(Rev. 2)
* to increase the ministry of "all the baptized".
* to bring together the members of the "body of Christ" in central MN.
Total Ministry is:
--the ministry of all the baptized
--the formation& training of teams of ordained or commissioned ministers
--shared team ministry between congregations
Who is it?
--"All the baptized": Everyone is a minister and has a way to help with God's work. That's why we call it "total" ministry instead
of using other names like "team" or "mutual."
Examples: chalice bearer, coffee maker, lector, altar guild, bulletin folder
--"teams": Some ministers make a special commitment and receive training and preparation and are commissioned or ordained
for specific kinds of ministry in our congregations. Seminary-trained clergy and diocesan-trained deacons may also serve as
part of teams.
Examples: preachers, liturgists, administrators, hospital visitors, sacramentalists..
--"shared team ministry": Each congregation maintains it's own identity, but team ministers from all congregations will serve in
other churches as well as their own.
What the congregation does:
1-- Lent: Congregational Mission Discernment. Identify the corporate ministry/mission of Individual Parishes. Review Mission
Statements and outline specific goals & actions. What do we do that makes us a church?
2--Easter to Pentecost: Ministry Needs Discernment. Identify the tasks/ministries that need to be done to carry out our
mission. What kinds of ministers do we need in our parish and for total ministry to work?
3--Summer: Discernment of Ministers. Identify individual potential team members to match our ministry needs. Who in our
congregation can best fill these ministerial roles? Prayerful reflection by all.
4--Fall beginning: Team formation. Support the team members with your own ongoing ministry and with prayer.
5--Discernment is ongoing as our congregations and ministers change and grow.
Episcopal Youth in Central Minnesota can have their own free home page on the world wide web! No need to know fancy
coding to set up your page either. Church groups and the "young at heart" from our churches can have free pages too. Post
your vestry minutes, your lector schedule, or your church calendar where no one (except MotherFlash, of course ) can lose
them. Visit some of our youth pages:
A Sample Group Page: Our Saviours Acolytes
A Sample Personal Page: Chris' "The Portal"
Then make your own free web page!
http://www.MotherFlash.com/userpages
Save the dates:
Women's Boundary Waters Retreat: June 23-26
Region Boundary Waters Transfiguration Retreat August 4-7
June 9-13 at St. Olaf in Northfield
The focus is baptismal ministry in world and church. While this meeting will include keynote speakers, worship, and workshop
leaders, it is understood that all participants are resources in their own right. Thus it is a "consultation," not simply a series of
lectures.
This will be good preparation for parish ministry as well as a solid foundation for Spirit of the Heartland congregations
beginning total ministry. Scholarship help may be available. (Contact Pat for more info.)
Details and registration at: http://www.livingthecovenant.com
St. John's Episcopal Church to Hold Lenten Suppers and Readers' Theatre
St. John's Episcopal, 1111 Cooper Avenue, St. Cloud, will hold a series of Lenten Soup Suppers along with a Readers' Theatre on February 24, March 3, 10, 17 and 24, 1999.
The suppers begin at 5:45 p.m. in the Parish Hall. The Readers' Theatre follows the simple meal at 6:30 p.m. Themes for each of the Readers' Theatre will be Barabbas, One Must Die, John, Sun of Thunder, One Must Die, and the Cross Maker. These devotional enactments will close with Evening Prayer. The Youth Groups and Men of St. John's will be the readers as well as other parishoners.
The menu will include soups, different kinds of breads and various other sandwiches. All people are welcome to attend these special Lenten Suppers and readings.
For more information, call Peg Murphy at 251-8524.
Visit our Online Prayer Page to request prayer and/or pray for the needs of people in our region. http://www.MotherFlash.com/prayer/
You can receive this region newsletter by E-mail. Send request to news@MotherFlash.com