Episcopal School for Ministry Sunday August 2009

Follow Me and Do This

Eucharistic Disciple Program
Jesus called his disciples with the words “Follow me.”
Seek
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
Later, he told his disciples how they could continue
In the aftermath of the 76th Gener-
to follow him with the command, al Convention of the Episcopal Church,
“Do this in remembrance of me.” I thought that it would be good to
highlight some of the important actions
We follow Jesus, we learn how to live as his disciples, for our common life that escaped the at-
in the celebration of the Eucharist. tention of the media. And many actions
did. Here is a sampling.
The Eucharistic Disciple Program, “Follow A realistic budget for mission. The
Me and Do This,” from the diocese’s Epis- Convention passed a three-year budget
which takes into account the hard finan-
copal School for Ministry explores each of cial realities we are all facing. Expected
the basic actions of the Eucharist, and how revenues are set at sixteen percent lower
these actions can become the ways we live than the previous three-year period.
faithfully. Staffing at the Church Center and
budgets for meetings were deeply cut.
Some of these actions are: gathering with other Christians, Developing networks for mission and
listening to Scripture, confessing a common faith, and sharing the ministry, not maintaining staff, was made
a spending priority.
peace of Christ.
Denominational health plan. At the
• Nine two-hour sessions
urging of the Church Medical Trust,
• Meeting once a month from September to May the Episcopal Church’s health insur-
• Taught either on a week night or Saturday morning ance company, the Convention approved
• Taught in three locations: St. Louis, Cape Girardeau, a unified and comprehensive plan for
and Jefferson City insuring the Church’s lay and ordained
employees. With almost everyone now
For more information and to register contact: Cory Hoehn, ESM Registrar,
to be covered by the Medical Trust,
choehn@diocesemo.org or 314-231-1220 ext. 1383.
there should be substantial savings for
the Church as a whole.
SEPTEMBER 12
Rachel’s Tears, Hannah’s Hopes.
God Wants Everything You Have This volume of pastoral and liturgical
The Practice of Stewardship is the topic of this year’s
Making Disciples Conference. The format will follow that
of previous years: morning sessions, Eucharist, lunch, and an
afternoon speaker. More information in next month’s Seek.
Please save the date.
4 Sunday Seek Bulletin, The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, 1210 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri, 63103
Photo credit: Deputy Jay Kloecker
Bishop Wayne
and Debbie
Smith in
Anaheim
Photo credit:
Peg Cooper,
Diocesan
UTO coordi-
nator
resources will find a welcome across
the breadth of the Episcopal Church,
with materials for miscarriage, stillbirth,
healing after an abortion, infertility, and
related matters, all of which often go
unaddressed.
Clergy discipline. The Convention
approved a complete reworking of the
canons (church law) and procedures for
responding to complaints against clergy,
streamlining the process and building in
greater accountability.
Full communion with the Moravians.
The Bishops and Deputies approved
a plan for full communion with the
Moravian Church, a tiny but gifted
Church with a long history predating
the Reformation.
Sermons and music. Not legislative
actions at all but important aspects of
the daily routine of Eucharistic worship.
My two favorite preachers were Rowan
Williams and Ray Suarez (he of PBS’
News Hour and an Episcopalian), and
my favorite music was anything from
Africa. Preferably with drums!
The Rt. Rev. Wayne Smith
Tenth Bishop of Missouri
DISMANTLING RACISM PRESENTS TRACES OF THE TRADE
FRIDAY, SEPT. 18
2:00 and 7:00 p.m.
missouri history museum
An invitation to the
diocese to attend a special
screening of Traces of the
Trade: A Story from the
Deep North at the Missouri
History Museum in St. Louis’
Forest Park. This film was re-
cently nominated for a News
and Documentary Emmy.
Filmmaker Katrina Browne will be in
attendance, and will hold a conversation
with the audience after each showing.
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri
and the Commission on Dismantling
Racism are sponsoring this event in
partnership with the Missouri History
Museum.
Traces of the Trade is a film about
the Dewolfe Family of Bristol, Rhode
Island, and their generational participa-
tion in the slave trade in America. The
DeWolfes were and are still members
of the Episcopal Church; their research
demonstrated how members of the
Episcopal Church participated in the
growth and development of the slave
trade in America.
Chester Hines, Commission on
Dismantling Racism’s chair, said, “This
program fits perfectly with the vi-
sion and mission of the Commission.
Traces of the Trade shows the connection
between historical lack of social justice
and the impact it has had on our church
and community. History plays an
important part in better understanding
what steps must and should be taken
to begin the process of healing racial
2 Sunday Seek Bulletin, August 2009 published six times a year
wounds and moving toward reconcilia-
tion. Traces of the Trade shows one fam-
ily’s approach to this process. It happens
that the family has significant ties and
continuing relationships with the Epis-
copal Church. It is an opportunity for
us to take a look at who we are.”
DeWolf descendant and first-time
filmmaker Katrina Browne said, “What
most Americans don’t realize, is that
it was Northern merchants who were
largely responsible for the slave trade,
not Southern ones.” It was Northern
ships, with Northern trade goods, and
Northern financing that propelled the
slave trade. The North sent out 85% of
all U.S. slaving voyages; New England
sent 75%; and small Rhode Island was
responsible for 58% of all U.S. voyages.
Outside of R.I., the busiest ports were
Boston and NYC. “We are thrilled and
honored to be nominated for an Emmy
in Research in recognition of our work
to bring forward this buried history,”
said Browne.
In January 2010, the Missouri
History Museum welcomes the special
exhibition RACE: Are We So Different?.
http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/
RE-ENERGIZE! WORKSHOP FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS
registration by AUGUST 21
Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Webster Groves Presbyterian Church, 45 W. Lockwood Avenue
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri and the Christian Education commit-
tee in partnership with other denominations are sponsoring Re-Energize
Christian Education, a continuing education experience for church educa-
tors, clergy, and lay leaders.
Workshops include:
Ministry In An Electronic Age. A look at social networking and other
“new” technologies with Isaac Arten, Youth Minister, Church of St.
Michael and St. George
“Churching” Teens in a MySpace World. How to connect teens to the
church in this new age of social networking. Brian Kuhn, Youth Direc-
tor, Webster Groves Presbyterian Church.
It’s Not Easy Being Green. What can churches do to be environmental-
ly friendly? Here are some ideas to help “reduce, reuse, recycle.” Laura
Schultz, Director of Christian Education, St. Peter’s, Ladue.
For more information contact Laura Schultz 314-993-2306 or
Janis Greenbaum 636-227-1484
NEXT MISSION TRIP TO LUI, APPLICATION BY 8/24
The Diocese of Missouri plans
for at least two missions trips to the
Diocese of Lui each year, God willing,
and our last one for 2009 is scheduled
for November 22 through December
4. Bishop Smith plans to accompany
this trip.
Plans for the trip include a con-
ference for clergy and an art project
by August 24, 2009. Notification of
with upper primary students. We are
selection for the next mission trip will
seeking people interested in helping
be by September 4, 2009.
with those events as well as missioners
Pictured above are Bishop Bullen,
with expertise in agriculture, medicine,
Rosemary the director of the midwife-
general engineering, and business ad-
ry school at Lui Hospital, and the Rev.
ministration for the diocesan office.
Stephen Dokolo. They’re sitting inside
The approximate cost of the trip
the office fence at the tea party that
will be $3000, which missioners are
followed the VSAT dedication. From
encouraged to raise through donations.
the blog LuLuLui (God loves Lui, in
The application is online at dio-
the Moru language).
cesemo.org and should be submitted
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri, 1210 Locust St., St. Louis, Missouri, 63103 http://diocesemo.org 3