Diocese News

Fri, May 11, 2012 5:30:23 PM

News from Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma

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From:	Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma <christianformation@epiok.org> ...
To:	sandy2670@yahoo.com

	Contents
More from Education for Ministru
Episcopal Service Corp
Alleluia Fund
Dr. Ruby Payne Speaks May 20th
Housing Faith Alliance
Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs Up-Dated
Presiding Bishop's Webinar
Safeguarding God's Children Training
Vital, Healthy, and Growing Congregations Workshop
Episcopal Youth Leadership Academy
CF Training Event Scheduled
New Resources
Closing Prayer

	Upcoming Bishop's Events
May 13 St. Dunstan's, Tulsa May 16 St. Patrick's, Broken Arrow May 20 All Souls', OKC

Upcoming Diocese Events

To register or for more inforamtion please go onto the Dicoesan Web Site below or call the local congregation:

May 18 - 19

Vital, Healthy, and Growing Congregations

St. Augustine of Canterbury, OKC

May 20

Ingathering of Alleluia Fund

June 1- 2

Vital, Healthy, and Growing Congregations

St. John's, Tulsa

June 16

Diocesan Christian Formation Training Event

Celebremos la Fiesta

Let us Celebrate the Feast!

9:30 - 3

Santa Maria Virgen Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City

July 27

Episcopal Night at the Red Hawks Game

7:05

September 27-30

Co-Ed Spanish Speaking Cursillo

St. Crispin's


The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma Link to Our Web Site


Companion Diocese Uruguay Holy God, source of healing and of peace, bless with your grace the companion dioceses of Oklahoma and Uruguay. Through our partnership one with another may we grow in mutual affection and communion, seek a more profound experience of truth, build up the Church in unity and give glory to Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. New Web site: http://uruguay.anglican.org/


The Next Issue of this Newsletter will be on Friday, May 18, 2012.

We Are

Epiok.org

May 11, 2012

Issue 19

News, Events, and Offerings

More from Education for Ministry (EfM)

efm 2012

Congratulations to:

Altus

Jon Robert Kidwell

Tulsa

Charles McComas

Ken Muratet

on completion of the Education for Ministry (EfM) program.

Note from EfM Mentor Barbara Tobin:

This past year we doubled our enrollment with eight first year students, two of which came from two separate Methodist churches. We are delighted that we are reaching the Muskogee community outside our parish. This addition made a total of 14 students thus creating the need for a second group.

We have great influence on the vestry with five current members and three past members having been participants in EfM. Two of the vestry members decided during their first year to run for vestry and they have become the most active and enthusiatic members. We have five representatives in children's education.

This is our fifth year and so far have graduated five and two more will graduate in May.

Our classes are busy recruiting and all want to tell the congregation about EfM. God has truly blessed Grace Church through EfM.

Barbara Tobin

Episcopal Service Corp

episcopal service corp

Emmanuel, Shawnee, has three of their college students who have been accepted into the Episcopal Service Corp; one to Boston, one to Chicago, and one to Baltimore.

They are Dalton Funkhouser, JoBeth Hamon and Cody Yount.

Alleluia Fund

THE ALLELUIA FUND is a diocesan-wide offering. Its purpose is to empower our diocese to respond to God's call to build the church by creating new resources for mission and ministry, and to encourage every member of our Diocese to live more fully into his/her baptismal covenant. The Alleluia Fund will be celebrated May 20th.

Please note "Alleluia Fund" on your check and send your contribution to:

The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma

924 North Robinson

Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Dr. Ruby Payne Speaks May 20th in

Ardmore

St. Philip's, Ardmore, extends an open invitation for you to come greet Dr. Ruby Payne on May 20th. She will be giving the homily at the 10 am service follow by a interactive presentation from 11:30 to 12:15. Her message is relevant to the entire community, business, business development, education, and non-profits. Please feel free to forward and extend this invitation to anyone you feel might like to attend.

If you would like to read a book to prepare for her visit I would suggest, Crossing the Tracks for Love: What to Do When You and Your Partner Grew Up in Different Worlds.

Housing Faith Alliance

St. John's Episcopal Church, Tulsa, will be hosting Evening Prayer for the Housing Faith Alliance, a program of Abba's Family on May 14th at 6:30pm. Light refreshments will be served afterwards in the Common Room. Brother James Patrick Hall from St. Patricks, will be officiating the service.

The HFA is in collaboration with 15 or so faith communities in 5 different Tulsa neighborhoods and includes 12 different housing programs. The core of the program is to build bridges of connectivity between the faith community and formerly homeless mentally ill persons living in those programs and to transform the faith community through relationships of service with the poor.

Manual of Business Methods in Church

Affairs Up-Dated

The Episcopal Church Finance Office has updated major sections and chapters of the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs. The Manual is an invaluable tool that provides congregations with the requirements and guidance on sound, practical internal controls, accounting guidelines and business practices.

Section topics include Financial Management, Internal Controls, Taxes and the Episcopal Church, Bookkeeping, Clergy Discretionary Funds, Audit Guidelines for Congregations, Risk Management and Insurance, Parochial Reports, and Records Management.

Additional Chapters and appendices will be updated during the course of 2012. Spanish editions are also being updated and will be available in mid-June.

This free resource can be downloaded by visiting The Episcopal Church Finance Office (http://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/manual-business-methods), or by visiting the Diocesan website, www.epiok.org and clicking on the tab "Congregational Resources," then "Comptroller's Office."

Should you have any questions, or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Diocesan Office.

What Does Mission Mean to Me and What

Does Mission Look Like in the World?

Schori Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori will Desmond Tutu
conduct a conversation about mission with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in a live webcast on Saturday, May 19 at 3:30 pm Eastern Time. The live webcast will be available at no fee on the website of the Episcopal Church www.episcopalchurch.org

. Questions to be explored are: "What does Mission mean to me"; and "What does mission look like in the world."

Safeguarding God's Children Training

St. Patrick's Broken Arrow is having a Safeguarding God's Children training this Saturday, May 12, from 9:00-12:30.

The Diocese will be offering two Safeguarding Trainings the Summer -one for becoming a trainer and one regular training.

July 21 at 10 a.m. at the Diocesan Offices will be the train the trainer event. This is an all day event. Completion of this training will allow you to do training in your congregation and throughout the Diocese.

August 11 at 10 a.m. at the Diocesan Offices, we will host a Safeguarding God's Children training. Safeguarding is required every 4 years for clergy, vestry, treasurers, bishop's committee members, those who work with children - Sunday School teachers, youth ministers, choir directors, and sextons. This would be a great time to get trained before the beginning of your program year.

Registration forms can be found at: http://www.epiok.org/resources/safeguarding_god_s_children.html

Vital, Healthy, and Growing

Congregations

Applying the Five Keys

A Workshop for Clergy and Lay Leaders of the Diocese of Oklahoma

Lead by The Very Reverend Kevin Martin

Author, Speaker and Dean of St. Matthew's Cathedral, Dallas

At a time when many Episcopal Churches are in decline, is it possible to create vital, healthy and growing congregations? Yes it is, and Dean Kevin Martin will be with us to help our congregational leaders improve insight and skills in leading congregations for the New Millennium. Dean Martin has taught church leaders and consulted with congregations for over 15 years, and he is the author of two books and numerous articles on leadership and congregational development. Participants will learn:

* Why doing church the way we have always done it does not work today.

* How the culture is changing and demanding new missionary efforts from our congregations.

* What you can do as a leader to help your congregation respond to the challenges of a Post-denominational and Post-modern world.

Drawing applications from his book 5 Keys for Church Leaders, Dean Martin will give practical information on steps all leaders can take in becoming more effective leaders for today's Church.

Location of Workshops

The two day work shop will be offered both in Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

May 18-19, St. Augustine of Canterbury Church, OKC

Friday, May 18th, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Clergy and Program Staff

Saturday, May 19th, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Vestry and Lay Leaders

June 1-2, St. John's, Tulsa

Friday, June 1st , 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Clergy and Program Staff

Saturday, June 2nd, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. for Vestry and Lay Leaders

Registration information

To register, please visit the diocesan website www.epiok.org and click on the "events tab" and scroll down to "Healthy and Growing Congregations" and click "register now."

You can also email the Assistant to the Canon to the Ordinary, Diane Ellsworth at dellsworth@epiok.org. Questions, call Diane at 405-232-4820 or 800-584-0823.

Youth

We are pleased to announce the launch of the Episcopal Youth Leadership Academy (E.Y.L.A.) for the Diocese of Oklahoma. This program is open to youth grades 6 - 10. It will provide opportunities to learn to be a leader not only in your congregation, diocese and beyond but these skills will apply to school and other organizations. Go to:

http://www.epiok.org/Christian%20Formation/e-y-l-a-launches-2012-13-program.html

and download a brochure!

EpiscoPosse - Tulsa

A city wide youth group for Episcopalians and their friends 6th-12th grade. This group meets weekly for worship, formation, service, and fun from 4-6pm!

May 13: No Episcoposse/Mother's Day

May 20: Program night, Good Shepherd 4-6

MIQRA - Save the date. Next January 19-21, as we offer our first MIQRA. What is MIQRA? It is an event to youth and adults who want to participate in reading the Bible from beginning to end! That's right - three days of non-stop Bible reading - but wait! There's more! There will be games, movies, activities, quite time, and much more going on at the same time! This will be held at St. Mary's Church, Edmond.

Christian Formation

Resources

Christian Formation Training Event

Scheduled

We are pleased to offer our Diocesan Christian Formation Training Event, Celebremos la Fiesta (Let us Celebrate the Feast) on June 16 at Santa Maria Virgen Episcopal Church, Oklahoma City, OK. Each of the 12, that's right 12, workshops offered will like at feasts and/or seasons and how to make them special in our congregations. Who should attend? Anyone involved in formation (children, youth, and adult), anyone responsible for Intergenerational activities, and anyone looking for new programs to offer in your own congregations. Three of these workshops will be led by members of the Youth Commission!

Registration forms are on line and can be found by clicking here

New Resources

The Little Book of Dialogue for Difficult Subjects

Christian Education in the Small Membership Church

Children's Ministry that Fits - Beyond One-Size-Fits-All Approaches to Nurturing Children's Spirituality

A World of Faith - Introducing Spiritual Traditions to Teens

Shaped By the Story - Helping Students Encounter God in a New Way

A Pilgrim People - Learning Through the Church Year

Finding Our Way Again - The Return of the Ancient Practices

A New Kind of Christianity - 10 Questions that are Transforming the Faith

Telling God's Story - A Parents' Guide to Teaching the Bible

Telling God's Story Year 1: Meeting Jesus (Instructor text and teaching guide and student guide and activity pages)

Telling God's Story Year 2: The Kingdom of Heaven (Instructor text and teaching guide and student guide and activity pages)

Making a Home for Faith - Nurturing the Spiritual Life of your Children

Transforming Vocation

Gospel in Life - Grace Changes Everything (8 part video series with workbook)

A New Kind of Christianity - 10 questions that are transforming faith

Finding our Way Again - The return of the Ancient Practices

A Pilgrim People - Learning Through the Church Year

Curriculum Review - Gather Round

Family Round the Table - 52 lectionary based sessions to support spiritual growth by eating, playing, studying and praying together all around a themed activity. CD.

Closing Prayer for May

Loving Father and Creator of all we come to you today deeply grateful for your creation. As we look around us we are amazed at the greatness and majesty of all that you have made. Nature around us speaks of your greatness - the vast expanse of the sky, the mountains, trees, lakes and streams speak of your great design. You have given us such beauty in the colors of the rainbow, the beauty of flowers and fields. Words cannot adequately express the magnificence of all you have created. We join in praise with the writer of the psalms when he says, "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth." May we show our love and reverence to you, our Lord, by caring for all that you have created. We humbly give you praise and thanks. Amen.

Contact Information

Sabrina Evans

christianformation@epiok.org

(405) 232-4820

Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma | 924 North Robinson | Oklahoma City | OK | 73102
Reprinted with permission.