The Episcopal Diocese of Utah
Living Boldly

Connecting with each other, our communities and the world

Dec. 13, 2007

Rain down your dew, you heavens, and you clouds, rain down the just one. Earth, be opened, and give birth to the Savior.
Rorate Coeli -- Monastic liturgy

The Presiding Bishop's Christmas Message may be found at Episcopal Life. Bulletin inserts containing Bishop Jefferts Schori's message will be available for Sunday, Dec. 23, from Episcopal Life Online.

Dates & Deadlines

Canon Nestler on "Utah NOW" Fri., Dec. 14, 8:30 p.m. re-airs Sun., Dec. 15, 11:30 a.m. Mary June will help Utah NOW's host Doug Fabrizio provide insight on issues surrounding the role of religion in government. She will also be discussing recent comments made by Lawrence O'Donnell on "The McLaughlin Group" program regarding the Mormon faith. To view the "McLaughlin Group" segment beforehand, click on YouTube. P.S. You must have Adobe Flashplayer 9.0+ to play back these clips.

Attention: Pastors of Small Congregations!

June 25-July 3, 2008: All-expenses paid nine-day residential program for 25 seasoned small-church clergy and their spouses or partners, or single clergy. Pre- and post- work required. Interested? Application must be postmarked no later than Saturday, Dec. 15. Go to Summer Collegium for necessary downloads of programs and application forms. For more information, contact the Center for Lifetime Theological Education, Virginia Theological Seminary, email: SummerCollegium@vts.edu or call 703-461-1752.

Sat. Dec. 15: Free Christmas Advertising deadlines for SL Trib's and Deseret News' listing of your Christmas Services! Be sure to send a copy of your listing to webmaster for inclusion on the diocesan website.
Editor's note: It's worth a stroll through the website to see the exciting events listed by our parishes during this holy season. If you do not find your parish events listed, find out why ...it's not too late to have them added!

Saturday, Dec. 15: Deadline for entries to the Name that Bookstore Challenge! Seeking a fresh name for the bookstore to be located at the Episcopal Church Center of Utah. The bookstore will carry books for progressive Christians, Anglicana, children's books, and gifts. Patrons sipping coffee or working at their laptops will look out onto the Commons area and central fountain. A "Major Award" will be given to the winning entry to be chosen by a lay-clergy committee. Send your suggestions with your name and a contact number to: Name That Store!

Advent Adult Education Series at St. James'
Sundays, Dec. 9,16 and 13 at 9 a.m. 7496 Union Park Ave., in Midvale.
The Birth of Jesus in Scripture and Art. Canon for Ministry Formation, Mary June Nestler presents ways artists through the ages have portrayed the birth stories of Jesus which tend to romanticize and combine the stories that appear in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The result is the Christmas card and children's story version of the events. Come delve into the texts to reveal their richness and discover some surprises about the stories we think we know so well! The course will be amply illustrated with art and references to archeological work that illuminate the texts. Also, the sessions will introduce participants to basic elements of detailed, critical study of biblical texts. Welcome all, whether you can come only one Sunday or four! Free.

Diocesan Office Hours:
Closed: Noon, Fri., Dec. 21 until Thurs., Dec. 27
Closed: Mon., Dec. 31, until Wed, Jan. 2, 2008
Please Note: The last run for accounts payable for 2007 will be the week of Dec. 17. All payables will need to be to Toni Sutliff by 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17. During the first week of the New Year, all payables will need to be to Toni Sutliff by noon on Wed., Jan. 2. Questions? Contact Kay Tracy.

14th Annual Solstice Jazz Concert Friday, Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m.
Retreat from the busyness of the holiday season and enjoy an evening of relaxing jazz music in historic St. Mark's Cathedral, 231 E. 100 So., SLC. The Jazz Guitar Heroes Christmas will feature nationally-recognized father and son guitarists, Mike and Corey Christiansen, with the Larry Jackstien Group. Come celebrate the Solstice with us. Free. Donations accepted for Cathedral music program. Free parking in Questar lot, SE corner of 200 E. 100 So.

For 2008

Twelfth Night Celebration and Concert by Sine Nomine Consort Sun., Jan. 6, 2008, at 4 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church will Celebrate Twelfth Night! with a program of music, revelry, and sweet treats to honor the ending of the Christmas season. A concert of lively Elizabethan music will be provided by Sine Nomine Consort with guest vocalist Marlin Haws. A reception will follow the program. Sine Nomine Consort uses voices and a variety of period wind and string instruments in a wide repertoire of early music. This second annual event is free and open to the public. For more information contact Mary Johnson at (801) 272-9015. (courtesy of Becky Ball).

Friday, Jan. 11: Deadline for February edition of The Diocesan Dialogue. Send photos and copy to Dialogue Editor.

Priestly Ordinations
Wednesday, Jan. 16: Kay Cook will be ordained priest in Christ's one, holy, catholic church. Details to come.
Saturday, Jan. 26: Mary Janda will be ordained priest in Christ's one, holy, catholic church. Details to come.

Continuing Education Opportunity
Jan. 28-Feb. 1: Epiphany West 2008 - Sacred Text as Window: Seeing Oneself through the Eyes of Another offers an amazing array of classes, workshops and speakers. Peter Phan addresses the question, Can We Read Religious Texts Inter-religiously? Possibilities, Challenges, and Experiments. Phan holds the Ellacuria Chair of Catholic Social Thought, Theology Department, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C. For more information and to register, go to CDS P. This is a dynamite opportunity for continuing education - 22 contact hours - and CDSP awards continuing education credit.

Education & Spiritual Formation

Winter Affirmations, 2008
The Affirmations Series of lectures, workshops and retreats offers intellectual growth and spiritual refreshment. All offerings are open to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Christian.

Please Take Note: Affirmations programs have a minimum number of people for which they will be offered. That minimum number is stated with information on each program. If the minimum is not reached by one week before the offering, it will be cancelled. As much as we would like to hold programs when even two or three are gathered, we must also honor the time and work commitment of each program leader as well as being good stewards of physical meeting resources. We therefore encourage you to make your reservations early by calling 801-322-4131 or toll-free 800-343- 4756 or by emailing Angela.

Here are the February offerings:
The Last Week of His Life: The Passion Stories of Jesus
Sat. Feb. 2, 2008 - 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
The Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler
Place: Episcopal Church Center of Utah
When we recall the Gospel narratives about Jesus' passion and death, we tend to conflate them, that is, we combine the stories into one story. This study will give us time to look at these narratives separately, to appreciate the details that are common to all the stories, but more importantly, to recognize how they are different from one another, and how each telling aligns with the evangelist's purpose and larger themes. By a close reading we may come to appreciate not only the viewpoints presented, but nourish our own souls as a pre-Lenten spiritual discipline. Minimum of 8 registrants. Registration deadline is January 26.

So When Are you Going to Become a Priest?
Sat. Feb. 9, 2008 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
St. Mary's Episcopal Church
50 West 2nd North, Provo, UT
This program takes its title from a question most frequently asked of deacons. The conversation about deacons in the Church is for all who wonder about who deacons are, what they do and why, and how their ministry differs from that of other ministries of the baptized, including that of priest. Speakers and panelists will talk about the diaconal vocation, education and mission. Suggested donation: $10 to cover lunch and materials. Registration deadline: February 2nd.

Hooker on Worship: Book Five of The Lawes
Sat., Feb. 16, 2008, 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.
The Rev. Adam Linton and Dr. Mark S. LeTourneau
Episcopal Church Center of Utah
75 South 200 East, SLC
In a recent opinion piece in Episcopal Life entitled "Hooked on Hooker," Ellen Baer confessed that, despite being a lifelong Episcopalian, she knew little of Richard Hooker, the great Reformation architect of our Anglican heritage. The Rev. Adam S. Linton and Dr. Mark S. LeTourneau have been hooked on Hooker since they began studying his magnum opus Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie three years ago, and they would like to continue sharing their findings and their (always decorous) enthusiasm for Hooker with other Utah Episcopalians. Book Five of the Lawes has been well described as a massively learned defense of The Book of Common Prayer. Following an overview of the book, we present, for discussion, Hooker's doctrines of preaching, prayer, and the sacraments (baptism and eucharist). Our purpose, once again, is to show how Hooker puts us in touch with a dimension of our history as a Reformed Church that, we think, has much relevance to our contemporary situation. Suggested donation: $10 to cover lunch and materials. Registration deadline: February 9th (see above).

The Last Week of His Life: The Passion Stories of Jesus
Sat., Feb. 23, 2008, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
The Rev. Canon Mary June Nestler
Church of the Good Shepherd
2374 Grant Avenue, Ogden, UT (See Feb. 2nd for details)

More Continuing Education Opportunities

2008 Study Refresher Week for Church Leaders March 3-7 April 21-25 May 5-9 Spend a week at Virginia Theological Seminary's Center for Lifetime Theological Education for quiet reflection to pursue self-directed study in a supportive environment. CEUs available. For more information about proposal submissions, applications and fees, contact the program coordinator at Refresher or by calling 703-461-1753. Clergy: contact Toni Sutliff at Diocesan offices for information about continuing education funds.

Emerging Ministries: Youth Winter Events  

Upcoming Youth Events

Jan. 26-27, 2008 Junior High Winter Retreat Grades 6-8, At Camp Tuttle, $40 per person February 23-24, 2008

High School Winter Retreat Grades 9-12, At Camp Tuttle, $40 per person Registration materials (flyers, registration forms, release forms, and lists of what to bring) have been sent out (via snail mail and email). All forms are also available on the Diocesan website. Sign up now! For more information, contact Melissa Lees.

The theme for the retreats is An Attitude of Gratitude and will focus on developing a grateful heart as a spiritual practice. As Alfred Painter said, "Saying thank you is more than good manners. It is good spirituality." The retreats will also include an afternoon of optional winter activities to choose from, including downhill skiing/snowboarding at Solitude, cross-country skiing, or snow shoeing.

More Resources

Sally Bingham, Episcopal priest and pioneer of TEC's effort to respond to global warming and energy conservation writes: I write [is] to thank you for your participation the Interfaith Power and Light campaign this year. From changing light bulbs, to writing letters to Congress, to preaching green sermons, to donating to Interfaith Power and Light, together we are making a difference! For more information, click on Utah's Interfaith Power and Light Campaign. Want to get involved? Contact Connie Gordon.

Websites of the Week

The Thoughtful Christian is a web- based resource center that seeks to help Christians wrestle with difficult questions by stimulating informed onversation and reflection about living faithfully in a complex world. The site is sponsored by the Westminster/John Knox Press, the publishing arm of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A. Some useful Advent resources currently featured. Many study packets available at very modest subcription prices.

For a slightly off-beat, creative site for spiritual musings and grounding, try The Geranium Farm. Eminent writer and preacher Barbara Cawthorne Crafton and her companion "farmers" offer good spiritual homecooking. Subscribe to daily meditations now distributed around the world. (courtesy of Sue Duffield who only wanted to pass along a wonderful Advent/Guadalupe meditation).

Liturgical Resource for the Baptism of Our Lord
The Covenant Journal, Issue 26, offers "A Commentary on the Church for the Baptism of Jesus - Renewal of Baptismal Covenant." The baptismal vows are interspersed with Robert Elzy Cogswell's poetry which this reader found quite moving. Lots of possibilities. Email Rob to tell him of your use. He asks gently to be acknowledged as the poet in any printed program. (item courtesy of Lyn Briggs)

Check that Charity! Are you or your family thinking about making a donation to a charitable cause? You can find out more about their financial status and the percentage of your gift that goes to direct service at Charity Navigator Excellent way to evaluate the best providers of services for that alternative Christmas gift. See hot topics and savvy questions you might want to ask. Entire site worth a look. May funnel your giving through Network for Good, which allows you to keep track of your charitable giving. Go to charity evaluators for other highly rated services.

The Advent mystery is the beginning of the end of all in us that is not yet Christ.
-- Thomas Merton

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The Rev. Jessica Hatch
Education and Resource Office
801-322-4131 Ext. 362 jhatch@episcopal-ut.org

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