DIOCESE OF WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA VOL. 51 NO. 1 MARCH...

VOL. 51 NO. 1 MARCH 2010

DIOCESE OFWESTERN

NORTH CAROLINA

Non-profit org.US postage PAIDMorganton, NC

Permit 73

HIGHLAND EPISCOPALIANP.O. Box 2878Morganton, N.C. 28680-2878

Costs drive changesin diocesan paper

You are reading the first printed edition of the Highland Episco -p a l i a n this year. That's right: our previous issue was theDecember 2009/January2010 edition, printed and mailed last

Dec. 1.This year there will be only five printed and mailed issues of our

diocesan newspaper — in March, June, September, November andDecember (one a quarter, plus the Convention Edition).

At the same, we are dramatically increasing our efforts to post time-ly news on the diocesan website, practically every day.

There are a couple of reasons for the changes: first, there is the cost;it's just not feasible to print, label, bundle and mail some 8,000 copiesof the Highland Episcopalian 10-12 times a year. We simply can'tafford the ever-increasing costs of printing and postage.

We also need to acknowledge that our younger churchmen are farmore inclined to get their news and information from the web andthrough other digital delivery streams than through words and picturesprinted on paper.

We have a generational divide on the issues of communications andwe're trying to meet the needs of both older and younger churchmen,as well as being good stewards of the funds available to us.

We've already made significant changes on the diocese's website -www.diocesewnc.org — and we invite you to visit the site often forthe most up-to-date news postings and calendar updates. In fact, youmay wish to set the website as your homepage on your computer’sbrowser so you don't miss a thing any day you're online (and we sus-pect that's becoming more and more frequent).

Also, we ask your continued support spreading the good newsabout what's happening in your parish and in your community. Pleasecontinue to send your photos and news ideas to the editor at email:h i g h l a n d e p i s c o p a l i a n @ e a r t h l i n k . n e t, and your calendar notices andbrief announcements to Alice Keenan at [email protected] beefed-up website will continue to be supported by the diocese'sweekly E-Newsletter, to which any one with an email can “subscribe”(Again, contact Alice at [email protected].)

In any case, we're working together to help keep you well-versedand up-to-date.

This is a new way of doing diocesan communications. It's a“both/and,” approach, not “either/or.” We seek your cooperation andyour comments as we continue to work to keep you informed. Pleasepass along this information to others in your parish who can benefitfrom this collaboration.

— Gene Willard, Editor

Highland Episopalian

In late January and early February, a group of 13men and women from the diocese or with ties toWestern North Carolina visited our Companion

Diocese of Durgapur, in West Bengal, India.Some visited to learn about youth and young

adult ministries, other visited to teach (Daughters ofthe King, prayer shawl ministry, healing prayer min-istry), and others to help in healing ministries. And,some traveled halfway around the world just to sharetheir love of Jesus Christ and be present with friendsthere.

As Bishop Taylor says in his column on Page 2,“Companionship means we share our lives and ourfaith and our hopes and dreams together. It means

we walk this path of discipleship side by side.”Other stories and pictures from the trip are on

Page 4. Plus, additional experiences are posted onthe blog: http://dioceseofwnc.blogspot.com/

Participants in this recent trip included:• Bishop Porter Taylor, his third trip to India• The Rev. Deacon Ann Fritschner, deacon at St.

Philip's, Brevard (second trip)• Elizabeth Tester, director for Children and

Youth Ministries at Ascension, Hickory, and CampHenry director

• Osondu McPeters, Canon for Youth, College,and Young Adult Ministries in the diocese

Continued onPage Three

Bishop Taylor with colorfully dressed ‘companions’ in India

WNC visitors share giftswith companions in India

INSIDE:• Bishop’s column — Page 2• Executive Council meeting — Page 3• New ‘Safe Church’ policies — Page 5• ‘Repairing the Breach’ begins — Page 8• Justice & Outreach changes — Page 10

PAGE 2 — HIGHLAND EPISCOPALIAN, MARCH 2010

A Word from the Bishop

Passage to IndiaBy The Rt. Rev. G. Porter Taylor

Ihave just returned from my trip to our CompanionDiocese in Durgapur, India. While it is still half theworld away and while I still do not understand most of

the culture or customs, after three visits, I am home there.This is not because I comprehend India (I don't think anynonIndian comprehends India), but it's because ourfriends are there, and they are part of our lives, and weare part of theirs. Companionship means we share ourlives and our faith and our hopes and dreams together. Itmeans we walk this path of discipleship side by side.

I learned so much from this trip, but primarily Iremembered that we are incarnational. At some point,emails, tweets, skypes, letters, phone calls simply don'tcommunicate enough. They allow the exchange of infor-mation, but friendship and companionship sooner or latercalls for presence. We need to see each other face toface; we need to clasp hands; we need to break breadtogether. Relationships are not about information butconnection, commitment, communion.

At some point, we need to tell one another by deedthat we care enough to show up in our neighbor's house. Iam always stunned by how happy the Christians in Dur-gapur are to see me and how pleased they are that Episco-palians from North Carolina flew 18 hours to see them.Their faces lit up when I walked in the room simplybecause I cared enough about our friendship to go to theirroom and not just read about it or wait for them to cometo me.

Our ministry to one another as Christians is muchsimpler than we believe. So often it's about showing upfor the other person. It's about making the casserole andtaking it to the house of the sick or bereaved — notbecause they need the food, but because they need toknow we care enough to come. It's about sharing ourlives by giving one another the most precious things wehave: our time and our selves. And we are called towiden our circle so that we don't just “show up” for thosewe know, but we realize that if we are friends with Jesus,we are called to be friends with everyone.

We had the privilege of visiting Mother Teresa's Con-vent in Calcutta. There is a sign on one of the walls withher words: "By blood, I am an Albanian. By citizenship,an Indian. By faith, I am a Catholic nun. As to my call-ing, I belong to the world. As to my heart, I belongentirely to the Heart of Jesus.”

This ministry of presence calls us to widen our circle-to see ourselves not just as Americans, Episcopalians, butbelonging to the heart of Jesus. Therefore, we are to lookat the faces of all his children because it's in their facesthat we will see him. His face won't be in our I-Phonesbut in the stranger walking across the street. His facewon't be in our list of things to do but in the person right

in front of us. Perhaps one of the gifts of poverty is thatyou cannot be distracted. Staying alive is too consuming.Perhaps that's why Mother Teresa chose to be with thepoor. She was not concerned about large amorphousentities or institutions or issues, but this child or thiswoman or this man.

While Jesus did have a large public ministry, somuch of his work was one on one. He focused on theperson right in front of him and asked them: “What doyou want me to do for you?” He was present to this per-son in this moment instead of looking at his list of wherehe needed to be next.

This Lent is the time to be more present and less dis-tracted. God is calling for us to show up for one another-one by one, face to face. Can we dare to make space inour days to see the face of Jesus Christ in one another?Can we slow our lives down and put away our tools ofdistraction to be present for the Christ who is alwaysshowing up for us? Can we stop focusing on abstractcauses or controversies for a moment so that we can com-mit to relating to incarnated people right in front of us?

My greatest joy was playing badminton with the childrenwho live in a dormitory (built with funds from our dio-cese) on the diocese's Compound. They come home fromschool and all 25 of them get rackets and birdies andplay. It's a sea of motion, laughter, and enthusiasm. Ahandful of kids swarms around me: “Sir, please Sir, willyou play?” And how can you not? It's the field of theLord. They laughed at my 59-year-old clumsiness and sodid I. We didn't talk about the Anglican Communion orthe economy or the Super Bowl; we played badminton.We were companions.

When I returned to the U.S., people asked me, “Didyou see the Taj Mahal?” No, I missed it. “Did you seethe Red Fort in Delhi?” No, didn't get there. “Did yousee any movie stars in Mumbai?” No, not that either.“Well, what did you see?” I saw my friends and they sawme.

I give thanks for our friends in Durgapur and theirfaithful witness and service to Jesus Christ who binds ustogether in this companionship. My prayer is that Iremember our common calling to be present for the livingChrist in all his children.

Bishop Taylor, right, with Bishop Probal Dutta, bishop of Durgapur, India

HIGHLAND EPISCOPALIAN, MARCH 2010 — PAGE 3

Continued From Page One

•Amy Congdon, a 30-year- member ofthe Cathedral of All Souls

• Mike and Jeanne Saback, a retiredphysician/general surgeon and retired reg-istered nurse, respectively, fromCharleston, S.C., involved in healing min-istry, their second trip

• Betty Jo Kinzler, a retired social work-er from St. Mary of the Hills, BlowingRock

• The Rev. John Rice, rector of Good

Shepherd, Hayesville, leader of healingprayer ministry workshop, second trip

• Kay Covode, involved in the healingministry at Good Shepherd, Hayesville,second trip

• The Rev. Dorrie Pratt, rector of AllSaints covenant community, Franklin

• Shawnee Irwin, member of St. Philip's,Brevard, and trainer for Daughters of theKing

• Norma Hanson, vicar, Transfiguration,Saluda, involved in prayer shawl ministry

WNC visitors share gifts in India

Council adopts final budget, debates financesBy GENE WILLARDEditor

The diocesan Executive Councilapproved a final, balanced, amendedbudget for 2010 of $1,628,332. That's

$69,784 less than the budget approved byDiocesan Convention, but up $6,800 incongregational giving.

“That's good news,” said the Rev. Cyn-thia Banks, chair of Fiscal Ministries, whopresented the proposed changes to thegroup meeting at the Bishop Henry Centerin Asheville via teleconference from heroffice at St. Luke's, Boone.

Traditionally, Executive Councilapproves a final budget after parish pledgesare received. Many of the changes involvereturning line items to 2009 levels. Thelargest item involves reducing the compen-sation for the Canon for Christian Forma-tion ($33,181), whose duties have beenreconfigured.

Other reductions include $900 for staffretreat, $5,000 for transitional deacons intraining and $1,000 for staff continuingeducation.

The approved budget reflects $40,000 indonations to help launch a three-quarter-time position of Missioner for Young AdultVocations at Appalachian State University,filled by the Rev. Beth Turner, who alsoserves one-quarter time as the diocese'scampus minister at ASU. Banks said shedoesn't see this position as rolling into theregular budget after 2010.

Fiscal Ministries also recommended, andcouncil approved, a $50,000 loan to coveroperational costs at Lake Logan EpiscopalCenter with the understanding that LakeLogan would repay the loan by Aug. 1.Lake Logan has several national CREDOconferences and schools for bishops sched-uled this year that are expected to generatethe income to repay the loan. Bad winterweather and canceled conferences causedthe cost overruns.

In other Lake Logan discussion, BishopPorter Taylor reported that Kathy Trotterfrom Kaleidoscope Inc., has suggested thediocese think in terms of multiple solutionsto resolving the $3.2 million Lake Logandebt.

She suggests

1) selling some of the land2) partnering with another party in use

of the land and/or facilities3) raising moneyThe bishop noted that Trotter, Terry

Mathis from the Episcopal Church Founda-tion and the Lake Logan Board are work-ing on a “business plan” that demonstratesa sound financial basis for moving forward.The bishop added that if they come up witha responsible business plan, he would delayhis Sabbatical and spend the months ofJune and July asking potential donors formoney.

“We need to resolve this in 2010,” thebishop said.

On a related matter, the councilapproved giving the bishop authority toname up to five members in a group thatwill have the authority to hire a realtor andsell the Lake Logan properties (already onthe market for the past two years) at a price

the group determines.On another issue, Bishop Taylor said he

is close to naming members of a FundsTask Force (approved at Diocesan Conven-tion) that will

a) look at how the diocese is funded andconsider how other dioceses fund them-selves, and

b) examine how the mission of the dio-cese is carried out and whether the currentway is the best way

The task force will report to DiocesanConvention in November on a recommend-ed system of parish giving and a look andhow “we do diocese,” the bishop said.

In other items, the council• elected Virginia Teel as vice chairman• learned that the process for putting

together the 2011 budget will be different,involving an all-day fact-gathering sessionand later, Fiscal Ministry trips to each dean-ery before convention to explain the budget

• approved Sexual Misconduct Policiesand Policies to Prevent Sexual Harassment& Sexual Exploitation (See story on Page )Training for both policies will be offeredtogether in a two-three hour session; later,the training will be offered online.

The Very Rev. Todd Donatelli, dean ofthe Cathedral of All Souls, said candidatesare being interviewed for the position ofexecutive director of the Center(s) forChristian Studies to replace the Rev. Char-lotte Cleghorn, who has resigned.

The Ven. Eugenia Dowdeswell,archdeacon of the diocese and co-chair ofJustice and Outreach Ministries, told thecouncil she and co-chair, the Rev. Dn. BillJamieson, are visiting all deaneries toencourage diocesan deacons to collaboratein parish ministries and to fill out question-naires for each parish on the ministriesalready being accomplished on the locallevel.

Bishop Taylor (left) welcomes new members of thediocesan Executive Council at it February meeting.They are (from left) the Rev. Patty Mouer, the Rev.

Pattie Curtis, Linda Bregartner, Pettway Brands, BoHenderson and Ron Rios.

Theological Reflection program set March 6The Center(s) for Christian Studies is

hosting a Saturday offering, “Art of Theo-logical Reflection,” Saturday, March 6, atthe Cathedral of All Souls, Asheville, withLayne Racht as the presented.

The presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m.

and continue until noon. Registration is notnecessary, but a $5 fee will be charged. Theprogram will be held in the Christian Edu-cation Room between the church and theparish hall.

The Rev. Robert Lundquist (right) was officially welcomed as the rec-tor of Holy Family, Mills River, Sunday, Jan. 17, at a Celebration of aNew Ministry service. The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor (center) celebratedand Lundquist's father, Donald E. Lundquist, left, participated in theservice. (Photo by Dick Smith)

New Ministry celebration


Women of Durgapur start first Daughters of King By SHAWNEE IRWINFor the Highland Episcopalian

“Lord, what will you have me do?”This is a familiar phrase from the motto

of the Order of the Daughters of the King.As I recited those words at our monthlymeeting of the St. Monica's Chapter (St.Philip's, Brevard) last July 6, I never wouldhave imagined what God would have medo.

We had a special guest that evening. Ourdeacon, the Rev. Ann Fritschner, brought aspecial guest to our meeting, the Rt. Rev.Probal Kanto Dutta, bishop of the Dioceseof Durgapur, our companion diocese inIndia.

Ann thought Bp. Dutta might be inter-ested in learning about the Daughters of theKing and how it might possibly find a placein his diocese in India. We learned fromher how the women there were strong intheir commitment to prayer and acts of ser-vice, both fundamental to the Daughters ofthe King. It touched all of our hearts as sheand Bp. Dutta shared how these womenwere dedicated to the children of their com-munity and were providing them with edu-cation, medical care and shelter if needed. Ann passed a piece of paper around the

table asking for those who might be willingto meet these special women and share theorder with them. I felt God leading as Iplaced my name on that paper. An excitingjourney that would take me to an amazingfar away land had begun.

After contacting the national office ofthe Daughters of the King for informationas to what steps needed to be taken, to myshock I learned that there were no otherchapters of the Order in all of India; thiswas to be the first.

I was directed to Pam Runyan, interna-tional chairman of the order. She was ofgreat assistance in providing encourage-ment and direction as to preparing for myintroducing the program in Durgapur. Mytraining of the women of Durgapur was tocoincide with the annual visit of the dele-gation from the diocese, led by our Bishop,the Rt. Rev. G. Porter Taylor in February.

After dealing with some challenges pre-sented by a snowstorm we all departedAtlanta on Jan. 31. I had the privilege ofmeeting with and getting to know eightincredible women over the course of threedays, Feb. 3-5. Another daughter who is amissionary in Pune, the Rev. Janet Echols,joined me there.

Our first meeting was very special. The

Rev. Swagata Das, rector of St. Michael'sparish and one of the original eight womento be trained, conducted a Eucharist, whichwas followed by “A Service for Beginningthe Preparation for Membership in TheOrder of the Daughters of the King.” Ourtime together concluded with the lighting ofcandles at the altar of St. Michael's. I foundit of special significance that all of ourmeetings were scheduled to take place nearthe altar of St. Michael's. God's presencewas always felt.

Our next sessions were spent reviewingthe materials in our National Study Guideand Handbook. As I prepared for eachday's lesson my focus kept being directedto “A Rule of Life,” fundamental to theOrder. The study guide states, “Livingunder a rule of life brings us into a strongsense of companionship with Christ.”

I had much to learn from these womenas to what that companionship means. Isimply rested in their close relationship toour Lord and Savior; they were there toshow me how to live for Christ.

At our final session together we had aspecial guest; the Rev. Dn. Ann Fritschnerjoined our group - the journey had comefull circle. As we all sat there together I

marveled at how amazing God is and thatphysical distance can be disregarded whenit comes to the sharing of his love.

Over the course of the next severalmonths these eight women will be complet-ing their period of discernment and thenhaving a ceremony in which a “Service ofAdmission, Institution of a Chapter Presen-tation of Charter and Service of Installationof Officers” will take place.

Please keep these women in yourprayers; they are now my dear friends andsisters. May our Lord bless them and usethem to share the message of Christ withinthe fellowship of our Order with the womenof India.

These are the eight women who willform the first chapter of the Order of theDaughters of the King in India: the Rev.Swagata Das, priest of St. Michael's Parishand program coordinator; Archana Dey,Rita Dutta, Lorraine Kobiraj, Sangeeta Lip-pert, Nita Pyne, Supra Sinha. And Madhu-mita Singh.

(Shawnee Irwin is the co-president of St.Monica's Chapter of the Daughters of theKing at St. Philip's, Brevard. - Ed.)

St. Paul’s, Wilkesboro, calls Rev. Scott PetersenSt. Paul's, Wilkesboro, has called the Rev. Scott B.

Petersen, assistant rector at the Church of the GoodShepherd in Tequesta, Fla., as its new rector. His first

Sunday will be Easter Day, April 4.And he couldn't be happier.The people of St. Paul's have been “so warm and wel-

coming,” Petersen said... and he's finally going to be closeto the Appalachian Trail. (Hiking the trail has been a long-time, but unfulfilled, goal.)

Born in Action, Mass., Peterson grew up there, inupstate New York, and in Springfield, Mass.

He attended the University of Massachusetts, initiallymajoring in political science, but changing to ReligiousStudy and Psychology in order to make some sense of areligious experience he'd had as a teenager.

With his B.A. degree in hand, he moved to Fort Laud-erdale, Fla., to work as a case manager/ombudsman forCovenant House, a shelter for young people. While there,he began work on a master's degree in pastoral ministry atSt. Thomas University in Miami.

Then back home one summer to earn the money to hikethe Appalachian Trail, Petersen worked as a waiter in Nan-

tucket, Mass. This led to agig as a crewman aboard aboat, and he landed back inFlorida, where he met hiswife-to-be.

Petersen next taughtBible at a Roman Catholichigh school in Ft. Laud-erdale, and then had theopportunity to work in thefinancial field. As a stock-broker and investment advis-er, he reaped some success inthis career, but “God keptknocking on my heart,”Petersen said.

It was about this timethat he and his family were

invited to attend a friend's church, St. Benedict's EpiscopalChurch in Plantation, Fla. “We felt very much at homethere,” he said.

Some six months later, during a trip to St. Louis, Mo.,

Petersen had “a calling experience… I'd always had a sensethere was something I was 'supposed' to do: that's what itwas.”

In 2004, he entered Virginia Theological Seminary, andwas graduated in 2007. During college, he served as semi-narian at Grace Church in Alexandria, Va., and led a mis-sion trip to Our Little Roses orphanage in San Pedro Sula,Honduras.

He has served at Good Shepherd, Tequesta, in his homeDiocese of Southeast Florida since graduation from semi-nary.

Petersen feels like his relationship with St. Paul's “is areally good fit.” His experience in newcomer ministry, forexample, seems to be a good match, and one of his goals isto help build a strong relationship between the church andthe diocese.

Petersen and his wife, Rosmira, a native of Venezuela,have three children: Henny, 17, Rebekah, 9, and Benjamin,7. Rosmira is working on her degree in landscape design.

New rector’s first Sunday: Easter Day

Petersen


Diocese adopts new ‘Safe Church’ policiesBy THE REV. CN. JIM PRITCHETTCanon to the Ordinary

If we polled the wonderful and dedicated Christians whomake up our diocese and asked them (you) to list theministries we are engaged in, we would get a quite

astounding accounting of lots and lots of amazing effortsmade by our parishes.

I doubt, however, that along with “feeding the hungry,clothing the naked, visiting the sick, etc.” many folkswould list, “Insuring that our parishes are safe places forour children and adults.” Sexual abuse, harassment, andexploitation are not topics we prefer to think about. Butensuring that they have no place in our parishes is animportant ministry, and recent history has shown all toowell and too tragically how important it is for churches tobe proactive to protect vulnerable members.

Last August the Executive Council adopted comprehen-sive “Policies for the Protection of Children and Youthfrom Abuse.” At its meeting Feb. 18, the Executive Coun-cil adopted two additional policies, this time aimed at pro-tecting adults: “Prevention of Sexual Harassment” and“Prevention of Sexual Exploitation.” (“Sexual exploita-tion” is the sexualizing of a pastoral relationship.) Togeth-er, these three policies are referred to as “Safe Church”policies. Our policies are adapted, after much commentand modification, from model policies provided by theChurch Pension Group.

I know that the Executive Council does not adopt thesepolicies lightly. The policies require training of groupswho have never been asked to get trained before; they

require background checks that have never been requiredbefore, and they create administrative tasks and paperworkfor our parishes. I have no doubt that some folks will beunhappy about this.

But I want you to know three things. First, we haveworked hard to tailor the policies to our situation and tominimize the burdens they impose while ensuring that theyachieve their goals of making our parishes safe. The modelpolicies, for example, require full background checks forall Sunday school teachers. Financially and practically,that seemed unworkable for us (although individual parish-es are, of course, welcome to do it). Our polices requirethat Sunday School teachers sign a Code of Conduct forthe Protection of Children and Youth, provide a referenceoutside the parish, receive Safeguarding God's Childrentraining, and be screened against the National Registry ofSex Offenders (which can be done online or contracted outvery inexpensively).

Second, we have worked very hard to make complianceas easy and inexpensive as possible. The policies and allsupporting documents (a summary of requirements, appli-cations, background check forms, etc.) are all online. Thepolicies require parishes to adopt their own policies; wehave provided a model parish policy that vestries can adaptby, if they wish, simply checking boxes. The SafeguardingGod's Children training required by the Policies for theProtection of Children and Youth is now available online.(If your parish has not offered that, your rector or adminis-trator should contact Alice Keenan at the diocese.)

A document entitled, “How to Request a Safe ChurchBackground Check” walks clergy and administrators

through a four-step process. All documents referred to inthe “How To” document are hyperlinked, meaning that aslong as you are reading online, you can click on the refer-enced document and be taken directly to it.

We have also contracted with Intellenet, Inc., anAsheville-based security firm that conducts backgroundchecks. The “How To” document walks parishes throughcontracting directly with Intellenet, which has beeninvolved in our document preparation and will performbackground checks quickly and at a fraction of the cost ofthe background checks we have performed in the past.

Frankly, if there is a way to make compliance with thesepolicies easier, I haven't thought of it. If you do, let meknow and we'll do it!

Any lawyer will tell you that adopting policies withoutimplementing them is worse than having no policies at all.So the third thing I want to remind you of is that when wethink of these policies and their additional requirements,we need to keep in mind that this is very, very important,and it makes a difference.

The Church Insurance Company reports that since Safe-guarding God's Children training was first offered, claimsinvolving allegations of sexual abuse against children havedropped tenfold. Tenfold! By making our communitiesaware and alert, we can make a real difference in people'slives. And that, my sisters and brothers in Christ, is animportant ministry.

You can read the policies and a summary of screeningand training requirements, as well as other documents relat-ed to Safe Church, at w w w . d i o c e s e w n c . o r g under Policies,then Safe Church.

Strong parish Formation programs encouraged

By MICKI HILLChair, Lifelong Christian Formation Steering Committee

Bishop Taylor's recent conventionmessage included three powerfulwords - engage, collaborate and

transform. I have thought about these wordsas they pertain to Lifelong Formation. Howdo we, in our local parishes, choose to sup-port one another in this life in Christ? Dowe take time to engage one another, togather and study the word of God? Do wejoin with one another to share our faith sto-ry, seek guidance and support in life's dailychallenges? What type of Formation Pro-grams do we offer? Are they transformativeand do we yearn for the time we spendlearning and growing together?

It is always a challenge to develop a suc-cessful life-giving Christian Ed program. Itrequires passion and commitment, and per-severance. It also requires finding a methodof study that suits the character of your con-gregation. Christian Formation is a lifelongjourney, and from birth until the final stagesof life, the love of Christ is at work to trans-form us into the people of God. At Baptismwe affirm this work and commit to beingactive in the process, to support one anotherin our life in Christ, to act as collaboratorsand not passive observers.

The Lifelong Christian Formation Steer-ing Committee is committed to helpingeach parish in the diocese develop avibrant, sustainable Formation program.

We would like to encourage you as youseek to nurture the faith development inyour parish. Over the next year we will

offer informationon programs andavailable trainingfor parishes inter-ested in develop-ing a ChristianFormation pro-gram or for re-energizing anexisting program.The first programand trainingopportunity wewill introduce isthe Catechesis ofthe Good Shep-herd (also knownas CGS).

The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd(CGS) is a program of faith formation thatis based on a profound respect for the reli-gious potential of the child and an under-standing for the child's spiritual and devel-opmental needs. Influenced by Holy Scrip-ture, liturgy and the educational philosophyof Maria Montessori, CGS is divided intothree-year cycles that mirror the develop-mental planes of children ages 3 through12.

CGS is an oral and experiential methodof sharing the faith. Throughout all threelevels, the child encounters the essentials ofthe Christian Faith through Biblical themesand presentations rich in theological back-ground. Christocentric and Trinitarian innature, the program explores liturgical andsacramental material in great depth. Thecontent of material increases in detail and

sophistication as the child matures.In Level I, for children ages 3-6, the

child's relationship with God is fostered,focusing on the primary element of ourfaith: God's love given in the person ofJesus, the Good Shepherd. The life of Jesusis explored through passages of scripturewhich include narratives of the birth ofChrist and the parables of the Kingdom.Liturgical celebrations mark the churchyear and the language of prayer is intro-duced as we celebrate the love of Christ,our Good Shepherd. The child is exposed toselected prayers of the Eucharist and Bap-tism, the proper nomenclature of the itemsand the symbolic gestures used in the sacra-ments.

Level II, for children in grades 1-3, con-tinues to encourage the child's relationshipwith God. Children begin to explore theBible as one book made of many books andthe Eucharist as one prayer made of manyprayers. An increased curiosity, imagina-tion, and intellect are fostered by lessonsthat present the three great moments in Sal -vation History: Creation, Redemption, andthe Second Coming. Through parables andmaxims of Jesus the child's developingsense of morality is addressed as they beginto develop their response to God's greatlove.

For children in grades 4-6, Level IIIoffers a more thorough exploration ofScripture, particularly the Old Testamentand the history of our Jewish roots. TheLevel III child continues to explore the his-tory of the Kingdom of God and begins todeal with the advance of the Kingdom andpeople's opposition to it throughout history.

Anglican liturgy continues to be examinedwith a deeper study of the sacraments andwith a greater emphasis on one's personalresponse.

I have worked with many types of cur-riculum and have struggled to find a pro-gram that both suits the child and nurturesthe adult who has committed themselves toChildren's Ministry. Training for this pro-gram is rich, embarked upon in communitywhere we participate in the process of theo-logical reflection and group discussion.Through the CGS Formation Course andsupport of fellow catechists you find yourown faith nourished.

This summer there will be a trainingevent for Level I or Level II at Church ofthe Holy Family in Mills River. The coursewill take place during the week of June 27through July 3. The second and final por-tion of the course will be held in the sum-mer of 2011. An investment of time and acommitted heart can change the way yourparish thinks about Christian Formation!Please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected] if you are interestedin learning more.

(Micki Hill chairs the diocese's LifelongChristian Formation Steering Committee.She has served in Christian FormationMinistry at Church of the Holy Family inMills River since 2001. Certified in allthree levels of Catechesis of the GoodShepherd, she currently coordinates theprogram at Church of the Holy Family andat La Capilla de Santa Maria in Hender -sonville. - Ed.)

Visit the diocese’s website: www.diocesewnc.org

Hill

Catechesus of the Good Shepherd for children ages 3-12 spotlighted


HIGHLAND EPISCOPALIAN, MARCH 2010— PAGE 7

Cleghorn to retire from Centers for Christian StudiesThe Rev. Charlotte D. Cleghorn, executive director of

the Centers for Christian Studies, has announced herretirement as of March 15.

Charlotte helped to birth the work of the Centers inSeptember, 2005 with the help of the Ven. EugeniaDowdeswell, archdeacon, and an advisory group made upof laypeople and clergy from the six deaneries.

The mission of the Centers is “to inspire and assistEpiscopalians in deepening their spiritual lives.” A corecommitment of the Centers has been to take its programsout into the diocese. This has been done through Dayswith the Bishop, a series of discernment workshops, andvarious programs. The work of the Centers has beengrounded in the areas of discernment, spiritual formation,

and as a teaching center for thebishop.

Cleghorn was ordained in1986 after ten years of full-timelay ministry with young people.She served parishes in Ohio,Maine, California, and was theinterim at St. James, Henderson-ville, and Holy Family, MillsRiver before beginning her workwith the Centers in 2005. Shemoved to Hendersonville in2002.

She will continue her work as

a spiritual director, retreat leader and as part of the facultyfor the new two-year program, The Sacred Art of SpiritualCompanioning, which began last October. She looks for-ward to working with Women Build, a special project ofHabitat for Humanity International, and other projects asthey present themselves. She will also be available to dosupply work.

A search committee is in place and is taking names ofinterested people. A job description is available on theCenters website, www.centersforchristianstudies.org.

Inquiries may be directed to The Ven. EugeniaDowdeswell, [email protected] or by calling 828-606-1348.

‘We are fearfully and wonderfully made’EDITOR'S NOTE - Shortly after the

Rev. Charlotte Cleghorn announced herretirement from the Centers for Christ-ian Studies (see story on this page), shewas diagnosed with breast cancer. Hersurgery went well and she has set up apage at Caring Bridges in order to stayconnected. The site ishttp://caringbridge.org/visit/cdcleghorn.

Here is her sermon given at the Cathe-dral of All Souls Jan. 24, which draws onher encounter with cancer.

“Just as the body is one and has manymembers, and all the members of the body,though many, are one body, so it is withChrist. For in the one Spirit we were allbaptized into one body - Jews or Greeks,slaves or free - and we all made to drink ofone Spirit. Indeed the body does not con-sist of one member but of many… Nowyou are the body of Christ and individuallymembers of it.”

Considering that Christianity, through-out the ages, has had such a difficult timetalking about the body, it is, in many ways,startling and wonderful that Paul would usethe human body as his image of the church.Christianity, which is a religion but moreimportantly a way of life, is all about thebody - Christ's body and our bodies. So, itseems that it is difficult to talk about thebody of Christ if we do not first talk aboutthe human body itself. I don't know if Paulknew what a powerful and complex imageit was that he gave the young church inCorinth. But it is an image that is central toour faith both individually and corporately

I have been spending some time in doc-tors' offices of late and during the time I satwaiting for the doctor, I would look at thosecharts on the walls of the internal workingsof the body. You know those charts. Whatwas on the wall depended upon the particu-lar specialty of the doctor. I remember onesuch chart as I was waiting for a procedureand being almost stunned by the intricacyof it all.

For the layperson, looking at the interiorof the human body is not unlike trekkinginto a foreign land, full of surprises andmysteries. And, as I looked at all of thoseamazing pictures, I was reminded me ofhow easy it is to look at a chart becausewhat it is showing doesn't seem quite soreal. I have little tolerance for things med-ical because it all makes me just a littlelight-headed and quite a bit squeamish.That is why I have such high regard for thepeople who work in medicine. I clearlyknow that is not my gift or calling. I was

the one on the first dayof my clinical pastoraleducation training whoalmost fainted when Isaw the variousmachines used in thehospital. They were justsitting in a room, notbeing used, but it wasenough reality for me toalmost hit the floor. Ithink as a resul t , mysupervisor assigned meto ICU just so I could getover my squeamishness.And I'm here to tell you,it didn't work! But thecharts of the body and itsworkings are truly amystery.

I don't know aboutyou but I tend to take mybody for granted, partic-ularly when everything seems to be what Iconsider normal. When there are no partic-ular aches or pains or ones I have just got-ten used to, I don't take much time to con-sider how wondrously I am made. Butwhen something goes awry, it is then that Isit up and take notice. And, I want to knowmore about what is happening in me and tome. It is then that I truly am amazed at howit all works — all those organs, and mus-cles, and arteries and blood vessels, andcells and tissue.

Our physical bodies are a masterpiece,despite what we may think or feel aboutthem. That electrical currents keep theheart going and all those glands and organskeep the inner environment functioningsmoothly is something that we mustn't takefor granted. And, of course, we are not justa body. We are spiritual and emotionalbeings as well which makes it all even morecomplex and amazing. We are indeed fear-fully and wonderfully made.

And Paul takes that image of the humanbody, with all of its parts and its mysteryand compares it to the body of Christ, thechurch. Being members of the body ofChrist does not mean voluntary churchmembership. It means, as one person hassaid, “an absolute, out-and-out conjoiningof one with the other, a sister or brother inChrist.” It means that we are part of eachother. We are inter-connected, each need-ing the other if we to function as a healthy,dynamic body. Each of us has gifts andwhen properly exercised, bring health to thebody of Christ. Our individual lives are partof a larger circle of graceful interdepen-

dence. We are not alone; God's call andresponse lures us toward healthy personaland communal lives.

In an age that has become more andmore individualized, the image of thechurch as the body of Christ pulls us backto how crucial it is that we know our owngiftedness and the giftedness of every otherpart, member, person in the body of Christ.“The body of Christ is not homogenous. Itis the result of the dynamic functioning ofmany diverse organs and bodily parts, all ofwhich need one another for their full flour-ishing.

What I am realizing more and more, isthat Paul's image of the church will makelittle sense or impact in my life if I do notfirst spend time contemplating my ownbody with its inner universe. And, how Isee and treat my own body will affect how Isee and treat others within the body ofChrist and beyond. And I know this needfor contemplation and acceptance is essen-tial because God so loved the world thatGod came to us as one of us. Jesus, whowas born and lived among us with all thesame body parts we have, all the sameorgans, and cells and tissue. We are thebody of Christ, and individually members,parts of it. It is a sacred mystery and onenot to be taken lightly.

If we are to be a healthy body corpo-rately, then we will each need to be ahealthy body individually. Each of us mustdecide what that means for us. It may meanan acknowledgment of our own giftednessand the giftedness of every other person. Itmay mean spending time being present toGod and to oneself, taking in the mystery

of what it means to be in our bodies. It maymean taking steps to care for our bodies ina more intentional and loving way. It maymean doing our inner work, which, whenleft undone, will affect our health. It maymean all of that and more. The point is, asJesus was embodied, so are we. And nowwe are the body of Christ.

In the Worship Book from the Iona Com-munity in Scotland, there is a direction forreceiving the bread of Holy Eucharist.When the words, “the body of Christ” aresaid, the person receiving the bread replies.“I am.” “The body of Christ-I am.” Thebody of Christ we are, individually andtogether.

Teresa of Avila, who lived in the 1500s,offers us the following description andchallenge:

Christ Has No Body Christ has no body but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours,Yours are the eyes with which he looksCompassion on this world,Yours are the feet with which he walks

to do good,Yours are the hands, with which he

blesses all the world.Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,Yours are the eyes, you are his body.Christ has no body now but yours,No hands, no feet on earth but yours,Yours are the eyes with which he looks

compassion on this world.Christ has no body now on earth but

yours.

If we are to be a healthy body corporately, thenwe will each need to be a healthy body individually.Each of us must decide what that means for us. Itmay mean an acknowledgment of our own giftednessand the giftedness of every other person. It maymean spending time being present to God and to one-self, taking in the mystery of what it means to be inour bodies.


‘Repairing the Breach’ begins this month “Repairing the Breach” is a yearlong

diocesan initiative to lead individuals andparishes through a truth and reconciliationprocess related to segregation and slavery.

It will begin the week of March 13-21with a visit to the diocese by Dain and Con-stance Perry, a Boston couple who travelthe country facilitating conversations aboutracial reconciliation.

They will be leading a training eventSaturday, March 13, at St. James, BlackMountain, for clergy and parish partnersfrom congregations in the “eastern half” ofthe diocese. Similarly, they will lead a con-ference for those in the “western half” ofthe diocese at St. Andrew's, Canton, on Sat-urday, March 20.

In addition the couple will be teachingand preaching at St. Mary's, Blowing Rockon March 14, and at the Cathedral of AllSouls, Sunday, March 21.

Parishes throughout the diocese havebeen asked to designate one or two personsto attend either the Black Mountain or Can-ton training events. These workshops willpresent practical resources for compilingcongregational histories and discuss howbest to implement this work in the individ-ual parishes.

“Repairing the Breach” is designed tolead parishes up to a “Day of Repentance

and Restoration” service next year - April2, 2011, at which the Most Rev. KatharineJefferts Schori, presiding bishop, will bepresent.

The Perrys have traveled across theUnited States accompanying the film,“Traces of the Trade,” a documentarywhich chronicles the DeWolf family jour-ney of faith and healing as they have triedto come to grips with the painful elementsof racism in their family history. TheDeWolf families of Bristol, R.I., were DainPerry's ancestors and the foremost slavetraders in American history.

“Traces of the Trade,” premiered at the2008 Sundance Film Festival, aired on PBSin 2008, and was nominated in 2009 for anEmmy award.

Constance Perry grew up in Boston,Mass. For more than 30 years, she man-aged, designed and implemented programsfor at-risk youth and adults at the munici-pal, state and national level. For the past12 years, Constance was been a self-employed national consultant specializingin training, facilitation and on-site consul-tation services to community organizationsproviding services to local residents.

Dain Perry grew up in Charleston, S.C.He recently retired after a 30-year career asa financial representative with the North-

western Mutual Financial Network inBoston. He is a past president of theBoston Estate Planning Council and wasawarded the Boston Estate Planner of theYear Award.

Constance and Dain both retired early toallow time to travel the country screeningthe film before civic, school and churchgroups. They were married in 2006, live inCharlestown, Mass., and have an adult son.

Dain and Constance Perry

Seeking justice, racial reconciliation

Interview with the Perrys...EDITOR'S NOTE - The following is an interview

with Dain and Constance Perry conducted by MollyWalling, a writing instructor at the University of NorthCarolina-Asheville and a communicant of the Cathedralof All Souls.

Molly: What impact does our church's involvement withslavery have on its present condition?

D a i n : I think it has us confused and not knowing how todeal with it, and many people want to deny it and continuein what we refer to as “intentional amnesia.” It's an uncom-fortable topic to talk about but we cannot heal as a faithcommunity and we cannot heal as a country until we arewilling to confront the truth of the past and accept it and bewilling to talk about it and work through the anger on thepart of some people, the hurt on the part of other peopleand the confusion on the part of all of us.

Molly: How do you see the process of truth and recon-ciliation unfolding? Why can't it happen overnight?

Constance: Processes take time. When we don't wantto deal with something that is as difficult and as painful forall of us, we want quick fixes and this is not a quick fix. Atruth and reconciliation process allows the opportunity forall of us to tell our stories and to listen to each other's story- not to argue, not to debate, not to question but to just sitand sacredly, sacredly listen and hear what the other is say-ing. Then, we can come up with solutions of what to do,but there is discomfort on the part of white Americans whowould prefer to put this in the past and there is (a similar)desire on the part of African Americans because it bringsup painful experiences that we, too, would prefer to forget.

Dain: It's taken us 391 years to get where we are. Wecan't turn it around on a dime. It's going to take generationsand we've been at the turning around piece of it now sincethe late 1940s when they integrated the army, and that'sreally when the turning around began. We haven't gottenthat far because we haven't been willing to talk about itopenly and honestly. We were at a screening this afternoon with a group of inner

city high school students here in Boston and there wereonly a couple of white students in the group. In the conver-sation afterwards, a couple of girls got up and spoke aboutwhat they are experiencing today and they had a large partof the group in tears because of the very overt racism theyare experiencing in Massachusetts, of all places, and so it issomething that we are deeply immersed in and we need towin hearts one by one.

C o n s t a n c e : (Some say) it's like peeling an onion.There's layer after layer after layer after layer, and justwhen you think you have gone as far as you can go, there ismore to it and the deeper you go the more difficult andpainful the work is. We need to get to the bottom of it.There have been many efforts over many years… fits andstarts… and we continue to be grappling with this becauseof the sustained hard work of peeling that onion. We put itaside because we don't want to go there.

Molly: Because you, Constance, have a history of slav-ery in your family, and Dain descended from slave traders,does your marriage outwardly signify that regardless ofrace, we are all brothers and sisters capable of loving eachother and moving beyond the past? Beyond racism?

Constance: Absolutely - I believe that. I don't knowhow long it will take but I absolutely do believe that we arebrothers and sisters - in every faith tradition. My faith tellsme that and my belief as a human being tells me that thereis more that binds us as human beings than I think we arewilling to recognize at its core, and I think that we usethings like race and class and these labels and put meaningto them that I don't believe our Creator intended.

Dain: …and it's all a power play.

Molly: What is the nature of the hard work that whitesmust do to understand how important an apology for slav-ery must be?

D a i n : Recently retired Presiding Bishop Frank Griswoldhas said that the first things whites need to do is to hear theanger and hear it deeply, and honor the anger that African

Americans feel. And until we get in touch with that angerwe can't move very far, and to understand the anger - whyit's there and get in touch with that. Once we can do thisand do the work prior to an apology - because one of thethings that concerns us is that… some dioceses are rushingto have a service of repentance before they truly learn whatit is they are repenting for, and they are putting the end atthe beginning and never doing the work they should havedone at the beginning. That is our challenge as a church - todo the hard work which you all are doing at the Diocese ofWestern North Carolina - of looking at the history andtalking about it and really living into that reality and thenthere can be a service of reconciliation that means some-thing.

Constance: The other thing for me is that I would likefor white Americans to come to understand that they arevictims themselves and they may not be victims in the sameway that African Americans are in terms of beingoppressed because of the color of their skin, but whiteAmericans are also victims and are hurt. They are notblooming as human beings. They are being stunted and aslong as white Americans view this as an African Americanproblem, that we are the ones that need to do the work, thatwe are the ones that need to do the fixing, we're the oneswho have got to get over it instead of seeing that we are allin this together - all of us are in this together and as long asone group of us is suffering, we are all suffering. As longas one group feels that experience of being victims, we areall victims.

Molly: In your experience showing the film “Traces ofthe Trade” and facilitating truthful discussion, what seemsto best register the subtle nature of racism?

D a i n : I think white people hearing the experience ofAfrican Americans or really not just African Americans butan people of color and the s lings and the arrows whichthey receive day in and day out throughout their lives issomething that we simply are not the least bit in touch with,and once we begin to get in touch with that, our hearts

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begin to open and we begin to understand the divide thatseparates us.

Constance: It's especially powerful when we have theopportunities in our screenings to be in a place where peo-ple - whether its our parents or a school or a company - anorganization, where there is some familiarity with each oth-er so that when someone gets up and they tell their storyand as Dain said, when the white people in the room hearthose stories from someone they worship with each Sundayor sit across a meeting room table from or see in the com-munity as they go about their lives, it becomes less aboutthem, as statistics or some abstract person out there but itbecomes personal. They're actually looking the person inthe eye and as Dain said, taking in the emotion of the sto-ries that people of color are sharing. It personalizes it andthe more personal we become with each other in our story-telling and I'm saying this from own experience as anAfrican American, listening to white people tell their sto-ries and share their pain, it becomes less and less easy toshut someone off or dismiss what they have to say.

Dain: And yet, we were at a very prominent boardingschool last year and spent a weekend with them - the entirestudent body - and during one of the discussions some ofthe African Americans were talking about their experienceat the school and a white girl later said, “I think they areembellishing” and she just gave no credence to it at all, andit is so far out of the realms of the white experience that wehave great difficulty believing that it could be true and thatis one of the critical components of this. I used to be a veryracist snot-nosed kid growing up in Charleston, South Car-olina and now I'm married to Constance, but I've been atthis work for most of my adult life but it's only in the last10 years of having done the film and now sharing my lifewith Constance and through having the privilege of spend-ing a lot of intimate time with African Americans as theonly white person there - that I get to hear the frustrationand the fear and the anger and pain in a way that I neverwas able to hear it before. The light bulb first began to goon for me when I heard a number of times African Ameri-cans in different parts of the country use the phrase, “I'm

sick and tired of being sick and tired.” Hearing that fromtotally unrelated people from different parts of the countryfinally got my antenna up to the point where I knew I hadto pay a different degree of attention to what was going on.

C o n s t a n c e : I said to Dain just the other day, “I don'tthink my heart is hard enough to deal with the pain that Ifeel when I hear some of the stories from so many peopleof color and what helps me - gives me the strength is myfaith, God and the teaching of the gospels. I draw strengthfrom my ancestors - some of whom I knew and most ofthem who I never knew who were slaves and who give methe strength and the courage to speak up and speak out andshare this ministry with Dain - the fact that I'm doing thiswith Dain gives me the strength and the courage to do thiswork and if we are able to do it in our parishes and our dio-cese where we are all grounded in the gospels and we'remembers of the community of God that we can do thiswork together. We need each other.

Dain: And there is no better place to do this work thanin a faith community. It creates a safe space where thishard and painful work can be done.

Molly: What can you tell us about the success of yourwork?

D a i n : We are working on our fourth trip back to the dio-cese of Ohio. There are several places where we've beenback more than once. Several of them fortunately in theSouth. Give you an example. There is a southern diocesethat we were at last year at their diocesan convention andshowed the film and when we left we thought that it wasone of the least successful conversations that we had facili-tated after the film. We were wondering why it just didn'tseem to gel. Then when we were at General Conventionlast July, and the canon who had arranged for us to go theresaw us across a crowded room and came over with his wifeand said, “Thank you so much. You all have transformedthe diocese and we need to have you back.” The people atthis afternoon's showing - we must have had seven or eightcome up and ask us for cards so that we can go to theirschools and we unfortunately don't have a tracking systemto be able to scientifically gauge the impact that we have orare having but simply the comments that we hear from peo-

ple and their invitations back enables us to keep at thework.

Molly: In the book, Inheriting the Trade, your cousin,Thomas DeWolf, quotes you as saying; my deep concern isthat racism is a part of the human condition. People wantto feel superior to other people. I don't think it can all everbe shed. What I can do is move how I interact with peoplebeyond where I used to be, and embrace them. That is thebest I can do.” Do you still feel this way after workingwith over 10,000 people?

Dain: No. I had said that to Tom when we were on thetrip. None of us had any idea of what the end product wasgoing to be and what we could do with it. And so I haveindeed found a way working with Constance, and I don'tthink I would be able to do this working on my own. Butthe two of us because of who we are, are able to speak toaudiences in a way that I could not do alone. I still thinkthat racism is part of the human condition all over theworld. We have a particular kind of it and I think the mostinsidious form of it in this country because of our history ofslavery and because of the way that was carried out and theway the attitudes have stuck with us so deeply.

Molly: Is there anything else you would like me toinclude or anything I haven't touched on that you think isimportant?

Dain: Yes. I would appreciate it if the article were tostate this because there will be some people out there whowill read it and might not participate because they areafraid to go. This is not an exercise in finger pointing, inplacing blame or in placing guilt or feeling guilt. It's anexercise in looking to the future and looking to the past sowe can understand how we got where we are and so that wecan move to the future in a healing way.

Constance: One of the quotes that I use as we beginthe conversation is from Kierkegaarde. “We live our lifegoing forward but we understand our life looking back.”

It's important that we all understand how we got wherewe are today so that we can together move forward in amore whole and healthy way. It's about healing.

Dain: …and the future.

Perrys to preview film on slave trade

Wintry Radix retreat a growth-filled weekend

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.Actually make it stop, make it stop,make it stop. Despite the 14-plus

inches of snow that landed in WesternNorth Carolina on Jan. 29, it was decidedupon that the Radix show must go on! Soon Jan. 29-31 at Camp Bob, Kanuga Con-ference Center, I along with 16 other bravewinter weather souls took part in the two-day retreat.

We intended to have about 30 total par-ticipants but due to the heavy snowfall, halfof the people (both members of the Radixstaff and those coming as participants) werenot able to make it.

Radix (which means “roots” in Latin) isa retreat for senior high (grades 10-12)youth that focuses on looking at the rootsof our Christian faith by exploring deeperinto the Baptismal Covenant. Throughoutthe weekend, everyone was given theopportunity to reflect on living with andfulfilling the promises we make to Godthrough our baptismal covenant as well asto experience the reality of God, and exam -ine how we all encounter Jesus in our dailylives.

In addition to learning more in depthabout the Baptismal Covenant, we dis-

cussed the traditions and meaning of bap-tism, what it meant to believe in God andbe a child of God, different methods ofprayer, what sin and evil was, the signifi-cance of forgiveness, how we interpret theHoly Spirit, as well as what Jesus looks liketo each person. We even spent time insilence, had the opportunity to walk alabyrinth, and participated in a foot-wash-ing activity that symbolized servantship andallowed us firsthand to see why it's impor-tant to love your neighbor.

Juan Luis Merced, an African and LatinAmerican percussion teacher was supposedto come and lead a drumming and percus-sion program on Saturday night but wasunable to make it out of his icy driveway.Instead, Parker Bailes (a member of theRadix staff) spontaneously led a drummingsession and the group improvised on a widevariety of items to make percussion instru-ments.

Afterward, everyone received Agapebags that contained notes and letters ofpraise, encouragement and prayers fromfamily members and friends in addition toAnglican prayer beads.

The weekend concluded with a closingEucharist on Sunday afternoon; despite the

dismal weather conditions some family andfriends of a couple of the participants alsoattended. Wesley Duffee-Braun said heenjoyed attending Radix for the first timeand thought that whether rain, snow, orshine, “it was a fulfilling and growth-filledweekend for all!”

The weekend was planned and led byDanielle Witry, lay vicar; members of the

Episcopal Youth Community (EYC), alongwith the Rev. Vic Mansfield, Jill Meares,Osondu McPeters, Steve Womble, ScottWitry, Bruce Nolin, and Wesley Duffee-Braun, who served as the musician.

— Osondu McPetersCanon for Youth, College, & Young Adult Ministries

Youth and Young AdultsUpcoming Events

• Spring Youth Conference March 5-7, Valle Crucis Conference Center- Grades 8-12

• Adult Youth Roundtable Meeting Tuesday, March 9, Place & Time TBA• Vocare March 19-21, Valle Crucis Conference Center- College/Young Adults• Adult Youth Roundtable Meeting April 13, Place & Time TBA• Vocare International Conference April 15-18, Camp Mikell, Toccoa, Ga. - Col-

lege/Young Adults• EYC- Service Project Weekend May 1-2, (tentatively scheduled)• Adult Youth Roundtable Meeting May 11, Place & Time TBA • Lectio Devina Every Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Cathedral of All Souls, Asheville -

Young Adults

For daily news and updates, visit: www.diocesewnc.org


J&O seeks to use deacons to widen ministries“We're restructuring how we do justice and outreach in

the diocese,” the Rev. Dn. Bill Jamieson told deacons ofthe Foothills Deanery on a recent icy Saturday in Hickory.

“That's why we're coming to you - where the work isreally being done,” added the Venerable EugeniaDowdeswell, archdeacon of the diocese.Jamieson and Dowdeswell are the newly appointed co-chairs of the diocese's Justice and Outreach Committee.They were on one of the last legs of their “dog and ponyshow” in diocese's six deaneries, explaining the new multi-pronged deacon-heavy approach to organizing, funding andsupporting grassroots ministry at the parish level.

“We hope deacons will take the lead” in engaging theparishes of the diocese to work together or with otherchurches or groups, Dowdeswell said. “If we really want todo synergy and engage across parish boundaries, deaconsare going to have to do it.”

The J&O's mission statement uses Bishop Taylor'swords - engage, collaborate, transform - to seek out areasof human need or injustice in the diocese's communitiesand to respond to them by collaborating with neighboringcongregations to address them.

The statement also says:“Jesus… said that the priority we give to feeding the

hungry, clothing the naked, caring for those who are sickand imprisoned is the priority that we give to him. Hespoke prophetic words and called us, his followers, toprophetic action.

“The great Jewish theologian Abraham Heschel said thatprophets are faithful witnesses to the divine word, and it isin their 'words and actions that the invisible God becomesvisible.'

“This is the challenge to us: Make the invisible God vis-ible through our words and actions, both within and beyondthe walls of our parishes, and throughout the boundaries ofour diocese.”

Dowdeswell, archdeacon since 2005, is affiliated withthe Cathedral of All Souls in Asheville. Jamieson, one-timearchdeacon in the Diocese of Arizona and now retired fromparish work, served as director of the Institute of ServantLeadership and now works out of Servanthood House inHendersonville. The two have said they are interested onlyin getting the newly formed Justice and Outreach missionup and running.

“We are committed to directing funding to rewardbehavior,” Dowdeswell said.

“We also want to find new young leadership,” Jamiesonsaid, adding that young people are not interested in parishpolitical or sexual affiliation, but rather in the words ofJesus.

“If we can get people to share in the vision, our commu-nity will begin to grow. There's the transformation: build itand they will come,” Dowdeswell said.

To help facilitate this new emphasis on collaborativework, the two said the diocese's Human Hurt and HopeFund has also been restructured and members are likely tofund projects or initiatives that involve multiple parishes, orparishes that partner with churches of another denomina-tion, or parishes that work together with civic or other non-profit groups.

“In this economy, all denominations are figuring out wecan't do it by ourselves,” Dowdeswell said.

Another piece of the J&O restructuring involves holdingup those ministries that are already working well - HesedHouse ministry to the homeless at St. Luke's, Lincolnton…the Rev. Dn. Joyce Beschta's work with teen pregnancythrough “Smart Girls/Wise Guys” in Hendersonville… theTowel Ministry at St. John's, Marion, which rehabs homesand builds handicapped ramps, and the community's LunchBreak, also in Marion, in which 37 churches get together tofeed 400 children during the summer months.

The diocese's deacons and others interested in outreach

are being asked to fill out a questionnaire in their parishesas well as in other parishes not served by a deacon to try tofind out the good work that's already going on and raise itup as a model for others.

At the deacons' annual retreat April 9-10 at Lake LoganEpiscopal Center, Dowdeswell and Jamieson want to show-case what's been uncovered in the questionnaires, as wellhave allow some time for networking about ministry.

The deacons also are being encouraged to work closelywith the Repairing the Breach initiative which aims to tellthe stories of anti-racism in order to bring about racial jus-tice and reconciliation.

And, on May 1, the diocesan Youth Council is holdingup the day as Youth Ministry Day in which every youthgroup in Western North Carolina will be asked to do a localservice project.

Dowdeswell and Jamieson

A school principal and a homeless shelter manager are the diocese'stwo newly ordained deacons. Bishop Porter Taylor (center) ordainedAnita Ware, left) principal of Cleveland Early College High School inS h e l b y, and Tim Jones, operations manager of the HendersonvilleRescue Mission to the Sacred Order of Deacons Jan. 23 at the Cathe-dral of All Souls in Asheville. Ware has been an active member of AllSaints, Gastonia, for some ten years and will be serving as a deaconat the Church of the Epiphany, Newton. Jones, a member of HolyF a m i l y, Mills River for the past six years, has been assigned to St.John's, Asheville.

Deacons ordained

CONFIRMATIONSThe following were recently confirmed

or received into The Episcopal Church inthe Diocese of Western North Carolina:

Saint Mary's, MorgantonOctober 18, 2009

Jay David NeumanMichelle Lynn NeumanLane Kelloo NewmanCarrie Thompson

Trinity, Spruce Pine December 6, 2009

Rae E. CarrMarty DellingerStewart Logan KerlinWilliam Taylor KerlinBarbara M. MiddletonMichelle L. MusichErnest E. Vance

Grace, MorgantonDecember 13, 2009

Kelly Malissa McLeanNathan Daniel SmithKimber Lee WhiteBeverly Ann ShearlerGeorge Allen CaryEric Todd BreiterJonathon Taylor GoforthJoshua Robert Webbert

Saint John's, SylvaDecember 13, 2009

Roya Qualls ScalesKathleen Marton NkhollJames Robert Nicholl

Saint George, AshevilleJanuary 10, 2010

Amanda Leigh PressleyPerry Lee ShafferOtis Withers Livingston III

Erik John Kreiner

Saint Mary's, AshevilleJanuary 10, 2010

David WalshKristin HolcombeThomas WestLinda WestJodie MercierStephen RobertsLeslie JohnsonRobin JohnsonSamuel Holden

Holy Cross, TryonJanuary 24, 2010

Sara Elizabeth SeagleThomson Flynn ChapmanMargaret ViehmanMadison Pinckney WalterElizabeth Collins WalterMadison Murphy AlexanderAnn Marie DoarStephen Thomas DoarAllison Seagle PriceRichard Francis Gill (from Saint Francis,

Rutherfordton)

EDITOR'S NOTE - The following isan article by Barbara Burns, LifestylesEditor of the Observer News Enterprisein Newton, where this first was pub-lished. She also serves as a deacon at St.Luke's, Lincolnton.

Aman woke up cold Monday, Jan. 11,and lit a small fuel heater to try towarm up. The heater sparked a fire

that burned the man's “home” to theground. The man's home was a tent on avacant wooded property in Hickory. Hesuffered severe burns on his legs, was air-lifted to Carolinas Medical Center in Char-lotte, where he remains in serious condi-tion.

The frigid cold of the past several weeksaffects everyone, but none more than thecounty's homeless. It is dismal. Jobs arelike the proverbial hen's teeth - scarce, andmore and more homes are being foreclosedon. Alarmingly, families are being evictedout of apartments and houses.

Catawba County works hard to fight therising numbers of homelessness. Can wedo more?

Housing visions Continuum of Care ofCatawba County conducted a count ofhomeless individuals in late January. Thecounty will enable the county to be eligiblefor local, state and federal funds to work toending homelessness. As a partner inHousing Visions Continuum of care inCatawba County, the county's United Wayis working with other committee membersto provide book bags filled with life sus-taining items such as small tarps, liter-sizebottled water, pop-top canned foods,sweatshirts and sweatpants, toboggans,gloves, socks and toothbrushes/toothpastefor the homeless population in our commu-nity. I commend this effort.

But, as a whole, a collectively, can wedo more?

I am deeply disturbed that society isfailing God's commandment, “Inasmuch asyou have done it to one of the least ofthese, my brothers, you have done it tome.”

What are we doing to take care of theleast of these?

People become homeless for a variety ofreasons - Jobs are lost, medical bills can'tbe paid, poor choices are made. Much hasbeen written about the causes of homeless-ness, but the fact is, the numbers are rising.

There are a growing number of childrenliving with their parents - in tents, cars,

under bridges, in abandoned buildings.Some are able to find a place in a shelter,but our shelters cannot hold all of thehomeless.

Are churches doing enough to help thehomeless? Some are, some aren't, butregardless, our communities of faith canand should do more. And, by communitiesof faith, I mean ecumenical partnershipsand combining of resources and people.

I serve as deacon at St. Luke's, Lincol-nton. What started as a small spark hasnow snowballed into a parish-wide work oflove, faith, learning and understanding.Add to the mix compassion and persis-tence.

In Sunday School, the youth, childrenand I talked about what being homelessmeans and how it would feel not to have ahome and to be hungry and out on thestreets. They spent one Sunday morninglooking for Scripture in the bible that spoketo the poor, the sick, and the marginalized.I challenged them with the question, “whatcan we do?”

Here's what the children and youth cameup with.

They made and sold Christmas cardsand gave the money that was donated toChristian Ministry of Lincoln County andto Hesed House of Hope. Hesed House, ahomeless shelter, has operated severalyears as a floating shelter. $220 was raised.

They brought cans of food to put in thebasket at St. Luke's for delivery to Christ-ian Ministry and urged all of us to do thesame.

Then, this small group of determinedchildren started a coat drive. This was dur-ing the coldest two weeks of record. Dur-ing announcements, they appealed to theparish to clean out their closets and coats,sweaters, hats, mittens, gloves and socksfor the homeless. The clothes piled up andfilled several tables. And, blessedly, theybegan to pray for the homeless.

They understand what Gandhi meantwhen he said, “if you have two coats inyour closet, you are wearing someoneelse's coat.”

The enthusiasm, belief and strong drivemotivated the entire parish and its fervorgrows.

Meanwhile, Hesed House of Hope hada dire emergency. There was no place tohouse the homeless.

Hesed House shelters and feeds thehomeless. Churches of all denominationsvolunteer to house the homeless on a rotat-

ing basis. Volunteers with the churchescook dinner, breakfast and stay overnight.

Hesed House raised the money to breakground on a permanent facility, but red-tape issues slowed down construction.

Left out in the cold, with nowhere tohouse their clients, Hesed Houseapproached St. Luke's and asked to lease ahouse on the church's property, which wasbuilt for outreach and at one time was usedas a convent for Episcopal nuns. Recently,it was known as Surrender House and wasa women's halfway house.

St. Luke's vestry approved the proposalby Hesed House, but some neighbors spokestrongly against wanting homeless peoplenear them. The City of Lincolnton's Plan-ning Board did not recommend it. It didn'tbode well because the Planning Board didnot let anyone from St. Luke's speak. Onlythose against it spoke.

Meanwhile, St. Luke's prayed.It is heartbreaking and heart wrenching

to think of men, women and children out inthe coldest days of winter, with no home togo to.

On Jan.7, at City Council, in Lincol-nton, in a standing-room-only crowd, coun-cil members unanimously approved Hesed

House's request in two unanimous deci-sions.

Going against a 5-1 recommendationfrom the City Planning Board, councilmembers voted for a zoning text amend-ment to allow “temporary homeless shel-ter” as a condition use in a Residential-Office District. The new zoning provisionwas used to grant a conditional use permitfor a temporary homeless shelter at a build-ing on the property of St. Luke's EpiscopalChurch on McBee Street.

Public hearings were heated on bothissues. St. Luke's was out in full force atthe council meeting Twenty-one churchmembers attended, as well as ministersfrom churches that support Hesed House.Council was thoroughly swayed by ourarguments and voted unanimously to allowHesed to use the facility. Citizens spokepassionately about the need for shelter forthe homeless on cold nights, while othersexpressed concern about having such afacility in a quiet residential neighborhoodwith a strong historic character.

Council members seemed particularlymoved by the speakers who called for com-passion for the homeless. One of the coun-cil members said caring for the homelesstells much about the character of a commu-nity, and he called for council to do “theright thing.”

On Jan. 12, several homeless had awarm bed and hot food. A black congrega-tion, Providence Baptist, provided a hugesupper and breakfast, along with volunteersto spend the night.

St. Luke's joined 12 other churches infilling out the three-month calendar.

In order for all Americans to be decentlyhoused, we're going to have to start fromscratch to figure out how to do it and howto do it right. Let it begin in our churches,with prayer and the dedication of a com-munity of faith.

Meanwhile, the people of St. Luke's areliving into their baptismal covenant. Weare seeking and serving, and we see theface of Jesus in every person, even theleast.

Thanks be to God.


“The One and the Many: Strains on/Opportunities for Commu-nion” is the title of the next, A Day with the Bishop, Saturday,March 27, at Grace Morganton, from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Bishop G.Porter Taylor will be the presenter.

In 1920 W. B. Yeats wrote, “Things fall apart; the centre cannothold.” He recognized that there is a centrifugal force in the worldthat pushes us apart. 90 years later this force has increased and thedivisions have become more pronounced. We see this in our poli-tics and in our Church.

This day is a discussion of what it means to be an Anglicanwhere we try to find “a comprehensive union of opposites [and]not a mere balance of contradictory opinions” (Frederic Maurice)as well as what it means to be in a global communion.

The day will explore the nature of what the Anglican Commu-nion is as well as the strains upon it in the current day. We willtalk about how The Episcopal Church can be who we are and yetmaintain our participation in a global communion. The proposed

Anglican Covenant will also be discussed. The day will be a mix of presentation and discussion. It might

be helpful read the Archbishop of Canterbury's addresses to Lam-beth beforehand (posted at www.diocesewnc.org and www.center-forchristianstudies.org) as well as the 4th Chapter of Ephesians.

This day is designed to bring people from the eastern part of thediocese together for reflection, conversation, and fellowship.

Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. and the program, at 10 a.m.The cost, $20, includes lunch. There's a reduced costs ($15 each) ifyou register with a friend. Call 828-274-2681 if you have ques-tions.

Visit the sponsoring Center(s) for Christian Studies website atwww.centersforchristianstudies.org and click on A Day with theBishop in order to download a registration form.

Grace, Morganton, is located at 303 S. King Street, near down-town. Directions are also at the CCS website and at www.grace-morganton.org.

A Day with Bishop set March 27 in Morganton

Reaching out to take care of the ‘least of these’Parish-wide work of love, faith, learning and understanding taking hold in Lincolnton

The Rev. Dn. Barbara O. Burns (center) receives the symbol of ser-vant ministry during her installation Jan. 10 at St. Luke's, Lincolnton.At left is the Ven. Eugenia Dowdeswell, archdeacon of the Diocese ofWestern N.C., and at right, the Rev. G. Miles Smith, rector.

The Episcopal Church of the HolySpirit, located outside Mars Hill, hascalled the Rev. David M. McNair to

be the full-time rector. His first Sundaywas Feb. 7.

McNair, son of a Baptist minister, wasborn in Virginia and moved with his familyto Bluefield, W.Va., where his father serveda church. He was graduated from WakeForest University in 1988 and received amaster of divinity degree from SouthernBaptist Theological Seminary in Louisville,Ky. in 1993. Re-locating to the Ashevillearea, he became youth director at St. James,Black Mountain and director of Camp Hen-ry. He then served as the diocese's canonfor Youth, College, and Young Adult Min-istries for nine years.

In 2007 he returned to seminary at theUniversity of the South School of Theologyin Sewanee, Tenn., to complete his semi-nary education in the Episcopal tradition.He was ordained priest in 2008 and hasserved as associate at St. James, BlackMountain since that time.

McNair is married to the Rev. LynnMichie, an ordained Presbyterian minister,who is chaplain at the Women's Correction-al Center in Swannanoa. They are the par-ents of Sadie (age 9) and Simon (age 6).

McNair comes to Holy Spirit to continuea tradition of deep involvement in faith

community support and commitment toministry to the broader community, specifi -cally in Madison County.

Over its 25 years, Holy Spirit has com-mitted to support social services in thecounty, notably Neighbors in Need, My Sis-ter's Place, Communities in Schools, Madi-son County Hospice, and Mountin' Hopes,the latter two organized by parishioners.

The Marion Stedman Covington Founda-tion of Greensboro has awarded St. Luke's,Lincolnton, a $5,000 grant to help pay forinstalling new gutters and downspouts aswell as repair windows in the parish house.

The grant applies to the installation ofperiod-appropriate gutters and downspoutsto the soffit area on all four roof elevationsof the church's sanctuary to reduce discol-oration to the brick-veneered walls anddivert rainwater away from the buildingfoundation and crawlspace; it also willassist in the repair of windows on the parishhouse.

This project is the result of a HistoricMaintenance Preliminary Plan. Additional-ly, the church has organized a historicpreservation committee, headed by Mary

Whisonant, and preservation fund for futurepreservation efforts that include the restora-tion of wood windows, glass panes, andtrim on the church's bell tower, and therestoration of stained glass windows withreplacement of existing Plexiglas windowguards with new polycarbonate or LexanClear guards on the church's sanctuary.

Newspaper of the DioceseOf Western North Carolina

P.O. Box 2878Morganton, NC 28680-2878

TEL 828-432-5665FAX 828-438-9600

[email protected]

MARCH 2010Bishop The Rt. G. Porter TaylorEditor Eugene Willard

The Highland Episcopalian is published fivetimes a year — March, June, September,November and December — by the Board ofthe Highland Episcopalian, authorized by theConvention of the Episcopal Diocese of West-ern North Carolina. At other times, news andinformation is posted at the diocesan website:www.diocesewnc.org. Members of the High-land Episcopalian Board are Frank Ballard,Jack Buchanan, Mary Ann Ransom, JackReak,Sandra White, & Pamela Doty, chair.

CALENDARSMarch 1-3 - Clergy Lenten Retreat, Valle Crucis Conference Center March 4 - Standing Committee meeting, 3 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterMarch 5-7 - Spring Youth Conference, Valle Crucis Conference CenterMarch 6 - Centers for Christian Studies: Saturday Offering, Art of Theological

Reflection with Layne Racht, Cathedral of All Souls, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.March 16 - Deans meeting, 1 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterMarch 19-21 - VOCARE, Valle Crucis Conference Center March 22 - Valle Crucis Conference Center Board Meeting, VCCCMarch 23 - Fresh Start Meeting, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterMarch 30 - Renewal of Vows, Cathedral of All Souls, 11 a.m.

April 2-5 - Easter Holiday, Diocesan Office Closed April 6 - Fiscal Ministries Meeting, 10 a.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 6 -Trustees Meeting, 4 - 5:30 p.m. April 8 - Executive Council Meeting, 10 a.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 10 - Lake Logan Board Meeting, Lake Logan, 10 a.m. -1 p.m.April 9-10 - Deacons Retreat, Lake Logan Episcopal CenterApril 20 - Commission on Ministry meeting, 1 - 3 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 20 - Standing Committee meeting, 3 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 24 - Bishop's Spring Advisory Committee meeting, Location TBD, 12 p.m. April 25 - Celebration of New Ministry for the Rev. David McNair, 4 p.m., Holy

Spirit, Mars Hill April 27 - Fresh Start Meeting, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 30 - Centers for Christian Studies: Saturday Offering, The Mystics, with

Chelsea Wakefield, Cathedral of All Souls, 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m

May 11 — Fresh Start meeting, Bishop Henry Center, 9:30 a.m.May 21-22 — COM/SC Overnight, Lake Logan Episcopal CenterMay 27 — Clergy Ember Day, Trinity, Asheville, 10 a.m.

Bishop Taylor's CalendarMarch 1-3 - Clergy Lenten Retreat, Valle Crucis Conference Center March 5-7 - Spring Youth Conference, Valle Crucis Conference CenterMarch 14 - Redeemer, Shelby, Visitation March 15 - Lenten Luncheon Program, Trinity Church, Columbus, Ga.March 17-25 - Spring House of Bishop's Meeting, Camp Allen, TexasMarch 27 - Day with the Bishop, 10 a.m., Grace, Morganton March 28 - Holy Spirit, Mars Hill, Visitation March 30 - Renewal of Vows, Cathedral of All Souls, 11 a.m

April 4 - Cathedral of All Souls, Asheville, VisitationApril 6 - Fiscal Ministries, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 6 - Trustees, 4 - 5:30 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 8 - Executive Council, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 10 - Deacons Retreat, Lake LoganApril 10 - Lake Logan Board Meeting, 10 a.m., Lake LoganApril 11 - St. John in the Wilderness, Flat Rock, Visitation April 13-14 - North Carolina Bishops Meeting, Asheville April 16 - Valle Crucis Program DayApril 18 - Good Shepherd, Hayesville, Visitation April 20 - COM Meeting, 1 - 3 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 20 - Standing Committee Meeting, 3 p.m., Bishop Henry CenterApril 21-23 - Virginia Theological Seminary, Visitation April 24 - Bishop's Spring Advisory Committee Meeting, Location TBDApril 25 - Good Shepherd, Tryon, VisitationApril 25 - Celebration of New Ministry, 4 p.m., Holy Spirit, Mars HillApril 26-28 - Family Systems Group Meeting, St. Louis, Mo.


Funding available for MDG projectsAs Lent approaches followed by Easter, one can readily see that

we are called to act as bold participants in the Resurrection ofJesus in 2010. Jesus has no body, but yours, mine… ours. We areliterally the hands and feet of Jesus today on earth.

We are called to bring in the reign of God. As part of themeans to this special vocation, our diocese makes available seventenths of a percent of its budget in support of the MillenniumDevelopment Goals. The M.D.G. grants work toward endingglobal poverty of the-poorest-of-the-poor by 2015, a daunting task.

The Millennium Development Goals focus on ending the globalpoverty of approximately 2 billion people, or the bottom third ofthe world's population. These ambitious goals draw attention toeliminating hunger, combating AIDS and other diseases, achievinguniversal primary education, working toward women and girlsempowerment, ensuring environmental sustainability and develop-ing global partnerships. Though we are nearly two-thirds of theway to 2015, there is still so much work to be done to lift up thepoorest-of-the-poor. The economically and socially marginalizedindividuals were the same people who Jesus reached out to in his

ministry. If one reads the synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark andLuke), one can see the prolific examples of Jesus' preferentialoption for the poor in the parables.

Perhaps you have been touched by the nightly news about theHaitian earthquake or you may have heard about something goingon in another part of the world that deeply touches your heart.

The M.D.G. grants offer you a chance to make a real differencein the lives of the least among us. These individuals may neverhave someone reach out to them or to champion them. Perhapsyou are being called to this important ministry.

If you are interested in carrying forward the ministry of Jesusand being a part of the modern day parables, then please considerapplying for a Global Mission grant. You may download an appli -cation from the diocesan website (www.diocesewnc.org) underFunding Resources, and then click Global Mission Grant Fund.The deadline for this $11,000 grant application is May 1. After wereceive the proposals, the Global Mission Committee will meetand review each project.

— The Rev. Dn. Clare Barry

Holy Spirit, Mars Hill,calls McNair as rector

McNair

St. Luke’s, Lincolnton, awardedgrant for building preservation

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