Letters to the Churches of Carbon County - Dec 21 2009

December 21, 2009

And then there was four days before Christmas and the Ministry Developer in Region 4 took a deep breath, let it out, and found that he was excited about the possibilities of the coming year. What has taken place this past week? Four web/phone meetings, a Ministry Support Meeting at St. Thomas in Rawlins, and three services throughout Regions four and five. I hope this letter finds you well.

When I last wrote it was in the AM of December 15, 2009 and there is not much to report on what I did on Tuesday other than tie up a couple of loose ends with the up-coming Ethics on-line course, putting together an agenda for the Ministry Support Team meeting at St. Thomas and a web/phone call with the Evangelism Team. The Evangelism Team is building of a basic theological reflection model through story telling and listening which asks two questions: Who are the people God’s family? and How do they show God’s activity? We are now currently looking at hospitality and the reflection questions are: Where is there inclusivity and exclusivity taking place? We also discovered that people of the church are creatures of habit and when we changed the night that we gathered it was mostly overlooked. A perhaps it could be that it is December and our lives get busy with extra activities.

Wednesday was an all day web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. In the past the Ministry Developers would meet face to face ten times a year, however, with the cost of travel on the uptick we have discovered and becoming quite competent in using “webinar” technology to meet. We will continue to have face to face meetings, but they will take place about three to four times a year. During our meeting this past Wednesday we shared our up-coming goals for 2010, up-dates on the Apostolic Team meetings, final touches on an on-line Ethics course with EDS, and got a report from Andy on using technology to connect the Diocese more efficiently in the coming year. We also received a report that the Wyoming Wilderness Camp will be open in 2010 as they (Foundation, Counsel, and other organizations in the Diocese) continue to work on the water and sewer issues. That evening we had a Regional Rep and Ministry Developer web/phone meeting that included items about the Bishop search, technology implementation goals, report on Evangelism, and general check in.

Thursday I work in office in the morning and that night I met with the Ministry Support Team of Rawlins. We discussed up-coming goals for 2010 to be shared with the vestry who met after our meeting. I was on my forth web/phone meeting of the week which was the Wyoming Wilderness Camp programming group in which we discussed dates for the “core” programming that primary focus on the Episcopal population and then talked about how to engage other organizations throughout the state and even on the national level.

Friday I was in Laramie working on my personal project and met with Pat. I was able to help Pat trouble shoot a technology issue and learn a bit more on how to be a resource with others in helping them use WebEx. Pat also purchased a head-set for his computer and we tested it to see how it works.

Sunday was a full day that covered two different regions throughout the Southern half of the state. My day started at Fort Bridger in St. David’s. I should have known that I was going to experience an increase in attendance due to the families gathering for Christmas. I was able to spend a couple of minutes after the service and enjoyed “coffee hour.” Then I arrived at St. John’s in Green River for an 11 am service. I was blessed with the beautiful sounds of children singing and the attendance was again doubled due to more families attending. I arrived in Dixon around 4:45 pm for a 5pm service at St. Paul’s. The fellowship was rich and Linda said it was a nice experience with the “dark church being lit up by the wonderful candles”. Yup the light of the world is coming and we all can rejoice!

The upcoming two weeks looks like this … I have two services on Christmas Eve starting at St. Paul’s in Dixon at 4pm. The second service will be in Rawlins at St. Thomas. Jess Smith will be presiding at St. Luke’s in Medicine Bow this year. I am thankful that we can now provide Christmas Eve services to most of our congregations throughout the state! What a gift. I will be on vacation after Christmas Eve and will return to “normal” work on Tuesday of next week. Keep an eye out for the love of Christ! And have a Merry Christmas!

Letter to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond - Dec 15 2009

December 15, 2009

Hey! I realized that Christmas is about 10 days away and that time will quickly pass by! As pondered on what to say much has taken place in the span of a couple of hours. The big news for St. Thomas is that Karen is scheduled to be ordained into the priesthood on January 30, 2010 @ 9am in Rawlins Wyoming. More details will be coming out after Christmas. As for other events, I was interviewed by the local newspaper about the Mustard Seed Project and it was a good article, Arlen Rounds and John Masters contributed to the article was well. St. James in Encampment continues to plug along and I have received news that last week the area (Saratoga and Encampment) had 5 funerals in 48 hours; much grieving taking place there. The bishop search continues to unfold along with more information about the candidates and the discernment process is made public. As normal for this time of year, the children presentation in Dixon was hosted with snow falling. I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday (Dec 7) I started my day helping the members of St. Thomas put up their Christmas Tree in the church (not to worry it will be lit after Christmas) and waited anxiously for the release of the “slate” of names for the next Bishop of Wyoming. During this morning the snow was falling and I was in contact with Linda Fleming in Dixon about developments of the falling snow in that part of the state. We decided by mid-morning that the Wade in the Water session will be moved to the next available Monday which is December 21, 2009. So I worked on other various tasks and goals and had a light day.

Tuesday I caught up with a community leader of Rawlins for a cup of coffee. We discussed what she is working on and possibilities of areas that “communities of faith” could contribute to the development of downtown Rawlins. I also told her about what St. Thomas has been working on with their Mustard Seed Project with the Blessing Bundles. I later found out that conversation lead to a phone call from the local paper as they wanted to learn more about this wonderful opportunity. It is great when a community’s networking flows.

Wednesday was its usual full day. It started with the weekly Ministry Developer web/phone call in which we discussed the up-coming ethics course, the slate, and some general check in. Then spend about an hour at Kraft Hall with the extreme cold keeping me from moving around too much. At noon Karen arrived at Kraft Hall and we (through the use of WebEx) had a learning event in which Linda Wilson facilitated a conversation using family system’s theory from real life situation in the parish at St. Thomas. Good stuff.

Thursday was more like a day of recovery. I took things a bit slower and made a couple of calls and relaxed. Friday was a busy day of travel. It started with my attendance of a funeral in Saratoga. That was perhaps a glimpse of the future. We had four clergy members present. Melinda Bobo, Ray Grieb, and Susan Dyer (she was not vested) a deacon from Colorado and I were all there. As the priests got ready for the service we quickly decided on who would take what part of the service and it was standing room only in both the church and the parish hall. As the service concluded I saw people from all around the County from different Episcopal Churches in attendance we are a remarkable family. That afternoon I headed to Casper to participate in the open house of the newly renovated office building. I like the use of space (it is open) and I am looking forward to learning how to use this new tool for building the church here in Wyoming.

Sunday was another full day and it was nice to follow the biblical principle that people are to travel in pairs. Pat Walsh drove over from Laramie that morning and made a presentation about the Wyoming Wilderness Camp. The camp is close to wrapping up a fund drive and are close to reaching their goal of raising about $40,000 that will be matched by the Foundation. That news is encouraging. The camp itself is currently looking at sewer and water up-dates to continue to provide a safe and wonderful experience for all who attend camp. That evening Pat volunteered to drive with me to St. Paul’s Dixon for the Christmas Program in which the community has a Jesus birthday party. The roads were slick and so we arrived at the end of the presentation and got a slice of pizza and a piece of cake. Pat was impressed with the vitality and the attendance and expressed to me that St. Paul is an example of what a small church vitality could look like throughout the Diocese. Hats off to the leadership of St. Paul and all that they do in that community. This is the second time this year I was blessed with having a travel companion from the Diocese as we visit the churches that I work with in the region.

Monday I had a great conversation with the Boys and Girls Club of Wyoming in Rawlins. Pat for the past couple of years has been working with Boys and Girls Clubs throughout the state and has made important strides in building relationships beyond the walls of our local churches. Pat shared a story about how one child expressed during a quite reflection time that being at the camp was the first time they felt safe in their lives. That is a powerful statement. So, on Monday I talked to the director about looking at opportunities in which we can collaborate together for the sake of our children in Wyoming and I have discovered potential ministry in this area of our world. There is something bubbling waiting to be born into our reality. Tuesday I was pleased to announced that Karen Buckingham will be ordained (God and the People are willing) into the priesthood on January 30, 2010 @ 9am at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Rawlins Wyoming. All are welcomed to attend.

Ok what is going on this week? This evening I will be on a web/phone call for the Evangelism Team as we continue to discover God in our world and build on the spirit of hospitality as people come and worship with us. Wednesday I will be spending most of my time using WebEx as the Ministry Developers get together for our all day meeting followed by another meeting with the Regional Reps that evening using WebEx platform to host the gathering. Thursday I have two meetings in the evenings the first one is with St. Thomas’ Ministry Support Team and then I will be participating in a Wyoming Wilderness Camp Programming web/phone session. On Friday I head to Laramie to continue to work on my personal project. As for Sunday I will be in Region 5 and preside at Fort Bridger @ 9am, Green River @ 11 am and if I have the energy and the time, preside at Dixon that evening. Oh come Emanuel (so that the priests can rest!).

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond - Dec 7 2009

It is the beginning of the third week of Advent for the Episcopal Church. Advent is a time for preparation and anticipation of something wonderful is going to happen. Anticipation can work in different ways, it can be exciting (just ask children about Christmas) and it also can be full of anxiety (just ask people about their Christmas shopping, meal planning, and calendar). What we are faced with is a challenge. Our response to this challenge can be rewarding and deeply satisfying and I welcome it. My personal response to this challenge is to find the grace and gratitude in each day, in each conversation, and in each encounter with the attitude that I will discover something divine. Ok, off the soup box and on to the happenings of Carbon County! I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday (Nov 30) I made a couple of phone calls and received a few myself. I was informed that a meeting was schedule on Saturday (Dec 5) and added that to my calendar. That afternoon I drove to Baggs to participate in the Winter Bible Café in which a group of people from St. Paul’s have been meeting faithfully for the past couple of years as they read the Bible from cover to cover. On this day the group started reading the Psalms. It was not later this week when I realized that one of the selections from the Revised Common Lectionary was Psalm 4. That is noteworthy to see how the two calendars intersected.

Tuesday (Dec 1) I worked on my sermon and got most of it written and then I went on “Facebook” (a social networking website) and one of my classmates from seminary posted two good questions. Who are the modern day prophets and where are our wildernesses? I pondered those questions for the remainder of the week. I also made some phone calls that day.

Wednesday (Dec 2) has become one of those days that my schedule has become full. It starts with a weekly web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. We are currently working on a technology/communication project in which we will be able to host video conferencing throughout the Diocese with more ease. I am excited about the progress on this project and soon the churches will be receiving a letter outlining this work. We, as a group, are also putting together a roster for the next on-line learning opportunity that the Diocese as partnered with EDS to teach Ethics. Finally we had a general check in time. Then I was at Kraft Hall for a couple of hours. During my time at Kraft Hall I put together a proposed agenda for the Worship Team Breakfast for St. Thomas and talked to MaryBelle (the contact person for the team). That evening I headed to Denver.

Friday (Dec 4) I spent most of my day in Laramie. I got a chance to talk to Jess Smith (Associated Priest for Region 4) about changes that are taking place in the Region and began a conversation about how we will provide coverage for the churches in the coming year. After that wonderful cup of coffee I was able to catch up with Pat Walsh for lunch and got an up-date on his work with the Wyoming Wilderness Camp.

Saturday (Dec 5) I participated in a Worship Leaders breakfast at St. Thomas in Rawlins. We had a good discussion about the role of the presider and have prepared the schedule for the month of January. St. Thomas will be busy for the next couple of months. Upon finishing the breakfast I assisted in cleaning out the basement at Kraft Hall and in turn came across a wonderful sermon idea that fits nicely with the upcoming Sunday (Dec 13).

Sunday (Dec 6) I headed to St. Paul’s in Baggs to preside. Due to the cold weather the roads were in great shape (it was too cold for the snow to melt and therefore no ice). I was not sure what kind of attendance to expect, but as it turned out we had a nice crowd. The sun came out and everything was bright and shiny. After the service the Ministry Support Team met to discuss upcoming events like Christmas (Jesus birthday party) that will be hosted by ARK, annual meeting, pastoral visiting, bishop search, and etc. We also went over to the Senior Center for lunch.

This is what is on my calendar for the coming week. Monday I will be at St. Thomas to enjoy fellowship as a group of people continue to “green the church”. That afternoon I head to St. Paul’s for another session of Wade in the Water. Tuesday I have a relational meeting scheduled and a web/phone meeting pending. Wednesday is that full day again and this time I will be meeting with Karen Buckingham along with Linda Wilson from noon to about 3pm. Thursday I have a web/phone meeting and some administrative items to cover. Friday is the open house event for the renovated Diocesan office in Casper and all are invited to attend. It starts at 5:30pm and I will be there for the event. Sunday (Dec 13) is going to be a busy day. It starts with me presiding at St. Thomas in Rawlins and Pat Walsh will be making a brief presentation on the Wyoming Wilderness Camp. That evening (if Pat is up for it too) I will be attending ARK (Amazing River Kids) annual “Jesus Birthday Party” at St. Paul’s which concludes with everybody heading to Baggs for the Christmas parade.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Happy New Year to the Episcopal Church! I hope all is well and that everybody had a good Thanksgiving. The Wasingers in Wyoming traveled quite a bit and it was a full week for us. As for the churches I hope that the first Sunday of Advent set the tone for the remainder of the church season. I was in Region 5 last Sunday and so I don’t have much to report from last Sunday; however I do know that there was a baptism at St. Thomas in Rawlins and I trust that the following week I will be checking in throughout Region 4 to see how the first week of Advent is coming along. I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday I headed to St. Paul’s in Dixon for two different Wade in the Water sessions. The first group met at 2pm because this group prefers not to drive about at night. Because of family and work commitments a second group met around 6pm. During my time at St. Paul’s was introduced to a liturgical format to learn from Wade in the Water and so it is on my “to do” list is to duplicate the format for all the sessions in Wade in the Water.

Tuesday was working around the office at home kind of a day. I was pacing myself because that evening the Wasinger family broke up into two units with one going to Wheatland and the other part going to Denver. Thank you for all the prayers for the oldest (this letter is posted on a blog and so I prefer to protect the names of my daughters) her surgery was a success. She is recovering nicely and all is well.

As we all know, Wednesday through Saturday was more alike a holiday were people gather to count our blessings, get out and start shopping for the upcoming Christmas season (well at least check out what is available) and watch a little football.

Sunday I awoke early and headed to Fort Bridger to start my day. I was in fog most of the trip and I smiled with I read the Gospel for the day thinking that I should have been looking for the arrival of Jesus in the clouds! I arrived in Fort Bridger and the fog began to be burned off and the sun was bright and beautiful. I heard of some news in regards to the Little Snake River Valley and I noted that I love this state. Following that service I headed to Green River for another service and to host a Wade in the Water session. The conversation was open and honest and I believe people discovered that God is present even in the small events of our lives. After everybody headed home I poked around the church for about two and half hours and figured out how to use the projector in the main church for future use.

What is on deck for the coming week? On Monday I am heading to Baggs for “Winter Bible Café” in which we will begin reading the book of Psalms and that meeting starts at 2pm. It is my intention to keep Tuesday’s a light day (it seems my energy wanes on that day!). Wednesday will start with a web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers followed by office hours at Kraft Hall from 10am to 12pm. Thursday I will be heading to Denver for a follow-up post operation appointment. Friday is an administration day in which I am planning on (that doesn’t always mean it will happen) reviewing and making professional goals for the up-coming year and continuing education. On Sunday I will be presiding at St. Paul’s in Dixon @ 10:30 am with a Ministry Support Team meeting following the service.

Giving Thanks in Carbon County - Nov 22 2009

November 22, 2009

Hello. This is Doug once again writing his weekly letter to the churches of Carbon County and beyond. This is Thanksgiving week and so I am going to stick with that theme for this letter. I have much to be thankful about. I hope this letter finds you well.

I will first start with the beginning of my week, which started with me heading to Rock Springs to spend some time with Linda Wilson. We will be working more as a team in Region 5 and helping one another with mutual support. It was while I was in Rock Springs that I received the news of Reba Sheehan passing away in her sleep on Sunday evening. That bit of news was both sad and joyful. Reba was a vital member of St. Paul’s in Dixon and she was vital all the way up to her death. She died at home and with out a struggle. I am thankful for knowing Reba and she was an amazing woman with quite a legacy.

Tuesday I was working on a newsletter contribution and hanging around the house. I also scheduled two personal meetings to get to know other community leaders of Rawlins. That evening I was on a web/phone meeting with the Regional Reps. We talked about how to continue to build on the success that was discovered with the Mustard Seed Projects (including possible grants request to support a ministry in transition) and we were asked to being talking to congregations to see how technology could be a benefit in communications. I am thankful that the Regional Reps and Ministry Developers are working together to make our Diocese a better connected community.

Wednesday was an all day web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. We discussed such topics as how the Apostolic Teams are forming, opportunities for new faith communities, working more in tandem with other ministry developers, and technology. That evening I was invited to a “Don’t Meth with Me” presentation by Marathon Oil Company in which they make a Meth awareness event and they wanted to engage the shareholders of the community. It was one of the best attended events with the leaders of the community. One of St. Thomas’ own was one of the key players in putting this event together. I am thankful that the leaders of the church are engaged in making our communities a better place to live.

Thursday was a full day. It started with me going to Baggs to preside at Reba Sheehan’s funeral. The event was held at the local high school gym. Members of St. Paul’s were there to assist in the worship. The way the Little Snake River Valley community works is that an event of this size includes everybody so the pastor of the local church was on hand to give the eulogy and I was there to provide the homily. I say there were about 200 people in attendance. That evening I drove back to Rawlins and was able to meet with the Ministry Support Team of St. Thomas to discuss the life of the church and following that meeting I attended a vestry meeting. St. Thomas is working hard in preparation for next year. I am thankful for the leadership of both St. Paul’s and St. Thomas.

Saturday I was in Laramie for an Apostolic Team meeting. The meeting opened with general sharing among the leaders and we welcomed Rev Carol Peterson, Pat Walsh, and John Peacock and John Sullivan. Then we shared a case study of the Mustard Seed Project from St. Paul’s in Dixon. After we finished lunch we moved into talking about the Bishop search and because we were blessed with having both John Peacock and Norm Peterson in our presence we heard more about how the process is coming along and made future plans for the walk about. I am thankful that people from throughout Region 4 are willing to give up a Saturday to be together and those who came for the first time.

Sunday I was in Medicine Bow. St. Luke has completed Wade in the Water and is well prepared for Advent. A member of the church has been working hard to start a local pre-school in Medicine Bow. At every obstacle, i.e. financing, paperwork, and regulations this member has found away to stay positive and focused to move forward. When she was sharing where she was in the process a gentleman said, “Don’t worry, Jesus is coming,” which caused us all to start laughing.

I also give thanks for the fine folks of St. James in Encampment. This group of people worships, fellowship, and are a delight to be with. It often feels like a family reunion when I preside and they are quick to laugh, to roll up their sleeves to work on a project and manage to keep a good oral history of the Diocese.

Looking forward to this short, but busy week this is what is on deck for the Thanksgiving week. Starting on Monday I will be heading to St. Paul’s in Dixon to start Wade in the Water in which we will cover two sessions every meeting. We are also hosting to meetings one at 2pm for those who don’t like traveling at night and a second meeting for those who have prior commitments like jobs, families, and the like but can meet in the evening. Tuesday I will be making phone calls and getting ready for a little R&R. Sunday I will be in Fort Bridger (St. David’s) starting at 9am and then I will be in Green River (St. John’s) for an 11 am service with Wade in the Water session two.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Before I move onto the news of the week, at the State Convention of 2009 there has been a resolution passed asking that the leadership of the Diocese seek ways to fund Wyoming Wilderness Camp also known as HR Wilderness Camp. The Camp itself is in a middle of a fund-raising event and is asking for people to make a ONE TIME donation of $20 but NO MORE than $50. More to the point this fundraiser is a process to increase more support for the camp through broader participation. Rather than having one or two large givers it would be beneficial to have many smaller givers contributing to this wonderful ministry. You can send your donation to 123 Durbin Street, Casper WY 82601 and write Wyoming Wilderness Camp in the memo. Thank you for your prayerful consideration in this matter. If you would like to read more about the camp you could go to this web-site www.hrcampfoundation.org.

November 16, 2009

Good morning fine folks of Carbon County and Beyond. I trust that your week went well and I am taking this time to catch you up on what has happened throughout Carbon County. A quick run down of the area looks like this, St. Thomas is doing well and has an administrative week lined up; St. Paul’s is in the midst of preparing for Wade in the Water; St. James is getting ready for the holiday season (Thanksgiving and Christmas); St. Luke is finishing up Wade in the Water; I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday I headed over to Laramie to work on my professional development and also was able to have quick pastoral visit. A member of St. Thomas (Rawlins) was involved in a rollover on the interstate a couple of weeks ago. He is recovering and by the grace of God was not seriously injured (if you consider broken ribs not serious). His spirits remain high and he has a great prayer support system in place.

Tuesday I participated in a web/phone meeting with the clergy of Region 5 to plan church services for the next three months. The meeting when really well and the quote of the day was, “We desire a developer not a presider.” This means that the Ministry Developer is now freed up to focus more effort in developing ministries rather than providing supply Eucharistic services. A great sign of growth!

On Wednesday I was a web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers as we work on putting together a Ministry Review using the Baptismal Covenant to guide our work. We are currently working on the second promise which is about sin and repentance. Now that is a difficult subject to address, yet I think we have a process that helps congregations and individuals look at this par of their lives without being threatened or hit with a heavy guilt trip. We will continue to work on putting together this Ministry Review in the coming weeks.

Thursday was more or less an administrative day for me. I worked on writing a couple of reports for the COM and that afternoon I headed to Saratoga for a preaching discernment meeting. The folks of Saratoga have been working hard with a member of that congregation to discern a preaching call. As a part of the process they too are assisting me along with the COM as we look at the preaching licensing process. The reflection questions are getting better and so is the feedback from this group. Ralph Hicks, the person who is discerning, will be heading to Texas for the winter months and will be returning in the spring of 2010 to complete the discerning process.

Friday I continued to read another chapter in the book Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry. Starting to write my sermon for the up-coming Sunday and touch base with Linda Fleming as we prepare for the Apostolic Team Meeting for Region 4 on November 21, 2009 in Laramie.

Sunday was a full day. It started at St. James in Encampment. We all gathered a brief discussion about Christmas and determined that everybody will be gone for the season and so there was no need to have services on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We also decided that it would be beneficial to start Wade in the Water at the first of year. That afternoon I drove to St. Paul’s in Dixon and my two oldest girls accompanied me. I met with Linda Fleming early and so we reviewed the case study that will be presented at the Apostolic Team meeting this upcoming Saturday (21^st). Before Linda Fleming arrived I briefly looked over the church registry and noticed that slowly the attendance has increased over the years and again another sign of the sustainability of Shared Ministry. St. Paul will begin Wade in the Water on November 23, 2009 and have two presentations with the first one starting at 2pm and a 2^nd group meeting at 6pm.

The remainder of the week looks like this: Monday I head to Hudson to meeting with Linda Wilson (Ministry Developer for Regions 5 & 6) and together will work on putting together some goals for our shared work. Tuesday I will be on a web/phone meeting with the Regional Reps. Wednesday is an all day web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. Thursday I will be meeting with the Ministry Support Team of St. Thomas and the vestry in Rawlins. Saturday is the Apostolic Team meeting for Region 4 in which we will have a case study; Norm Peterson will explain where we are in the process in the election of the next bishop of Wyoming and some general sharing. Sunday I will be heading to St. Luke’s in Medicine Bow to preside and conclude the Wade in the Water program. That evening there is a Community Thanksgiving Service in Rawlins.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

November 8, 2009

Hello good folks of the church, how has life treated last week? I managed to get a day off from work and relax. Talk about Sabbath and the value of resting the body, mind, and spirit. It can change one’s outlook on life. I have noticed that people are a bit rough around the edges as we deal with the challenges of life, yet if we can get some space from all the pressures of the every day, we can almost see God in our midst. I hope this letter finds you well.

I will go quickly through my week. Tuesday I spent most of my effort working through my to-do list that had about 7 items to work through. I managed to get it all done, make and take phone calls. Not much as in the way of exciting stuff to report.

Wednesday I smaller to-do list and two web/phone meetings along with office hours. The Ministry Developers are working on our relational meetings, discussion about Apostolic Team meetings, and working on a Ministry Review process that engages the Baptismal Covenant in a deeper and reflective way. During my time at Kraft Hall Karen came over and we wrote a blessing for the “Blessing Bundles” for St. Thomas and scheduled a Ministry Support Team meeting for November. That evening I was on a web/phone meeting with different people throughout the state to begin looking at programming for Wyoming Wilderness Camp 2010. Some really great ideas are coming up. I reflected on what we did is to open our focus around youth ministry and to see the care providers of our kids and children as other area of ministry.

Thursday I followed up on some phone calls, wrote my sermon, and scheduled some web/phone meetings for next week. I also got caught up on my notes from the web/meetings the day before and forwarded them to all the participants of the meetings. I try to keep the information flowing by sharing what I heard with everybody.

Friday I took the middle of the day to work on other administrative tasks like reviewing some work that was given to the Ministry Developers to prepare for our next meeting, putting together the Apostolic Team Meeting face to face agenda and professional development. I am currently reading a book called Leaders Who Last: Sustaining Yourself and Your Ministry written by Margaret J. Marcuson. It is a good book about family systems (a way of looking at the network of relationships that make up the church and your personal family). Saturday was my day off.

Sunday I was at St. Thomas in Rawlins. During this service we blessed the “Blessing Bundles”. Blessing Bundles is a ministry that gives children ranging from infant to teenagers a small “backpack” of simple items that they can keep for their very own. These bundles are given to children who have been placed in Foster homes at a moments notice. As the service wrapped up I was blessed by the presence of one such child who was placed in a foster home at birth. The kid just smiled at everybody. Following the service we had continued our fellowship with chili and wonderful soup. It was a good time by all.

Looking forward to this up coming week this is what is on deck. Monday I will be in Laramie to work on my personal project in the morning. Tuesday I have a web/phone meeting scheduled to look at the church service coverage in Region 5. Wednesday I am planning on making follow-up calls for the Apostolic Team for Region 4, and have office hours at Kraft Hall from 10am to 12pm. Thursday I will be writing a sermon and a vestry report. That afternoon I will be heading over to Saratoga for a preaching discernment meeting. Lately Fridays have been my professional development day in which I continue to work on family systems and catch-up on any items that I missed throughout the week. Sunday I will be presiding at two services starting at St. James in Encampment 9am with their first Wade in the Water session following the service. That afternoon I will be heading to St. Paul’s in Dixon for their 5pm service.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Hello folks of Carbon County and a big Wyoming hello to those beyond Carbon who receive this posting. How was your week? The early snow storm affected most of Wyoming and it dipped into Colorado. Now as I write the snow has melted away and there seems to be little if no evidence of chaos shut down highways. Halloween was untraditionally warm this year and the kids (and the Wasinger Parents) are recovering from the candy binge. As I look about in this part of the state this is what is taking place: The Apostolic Team for both Regions 4 and 5 (mostly the southern half of the state) met about a week ago using WebEx; Saratoga continues to work through their discernment process in calling a local preacher; St. James in Encampment started Wade in the Water with the assistance of Rev. Ray Grieb (Ray is also working with Saratoga with the preaching discernment); St. Thomas is getting prepared for their Mustard Seed Project – Blessing Bundles; St. Luke is about complete with their Wade in the Water; and I have been receiving reports from St. Paul that their afterschool program has drawn in a large group of kids (about 30 kids). I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday (October 26) I was in Laramie in the mid afternoon to work on my personal project and that evening I was a host for the joint Apostolic Team meeting between Regions 4 & 5. We talked about what took place at convention; shared what other churches are doing with their formation processes; and scheduled our face to face meetings in November.

Tuesday (a week ago) I drove over to Saratoga to participate in a preaching discernment process for Ralph Hicks. We are coming to a conclusion soon as Ralph has worked hard to prepare his responses to the questions that have been listed in the study guide. We have generated a new set of discernment questions for the next round of discussions. Fortunately I made it home before the scheduled winter storm hit for the week.

Wednesday I was in Kraft Hall in Rawlins for office hours and that evening I was on another WebEx meeting with the Regional Reps and my fellow Ministry Developers. We meet monthly to discuss what is taking place throughout the state and to stay in touch. Lately we, as a group, have been working on Safe Guarding God’s Children training and to move the resolution from the last convention forward. Following that meeting I was on another conference call with Evangelism in which we have discussed what we have been doing and to plan a face to face meeting in November.

Thursday I met with Karen Buckingham to review her checklist for priesthood and to debrief from her first of six retreats to learn about Family Systems. At this point the winter storm was in full effect throughout the state and it seemed to quite life down for about 72 hours. It is amazing and humbling to realize how much control we really have in this life. With that in mind was scheduled to go to Denver on Friday to take care of an appointment with Alexis, but the roads were closed so I caught up on my other administrative tasks.

Sunday I was in Dixon and presiding at St. Paul’s. As I looked about it was great to see so many people who were able to make the adjustments to the time change and yes even children were in our midst. We had a Ministry Support Team meeting following the service. The question of the Mustard Seed Money came up again and there was some jovial frustration about how the money is not being spent. One person said, “I know God has a plan for the money and we just need to figure it out.” Five minutes later there were three to four ideas that were presented. How it has been working is that the Church will make an offering and then the local community will rally and take care of it themselves. The church provides the spark the people of the community provide the fuel and energy.

This is how my week is shaping up: Tuesday is an administrative day in which I am writing this letter and have taken a couple of phone calls. Pat Walsh and I are in the process of planning a youth event in the area this December and more details will be coming out soon. Wednesday I will be on a weekly web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers starting at 8am and then I will have office hours at Kraft Hall from 10am to noon. During my office hours I will be taking to Karen and developing a blessing for the “Blessing Bundles” for St. Thomas. Wednesday evening I will be hosting a WebEx meeting with the Wyoming Wilderness Camp leadership to begin planning 2010 programming. Thursday is another administrative day to write a sermon and other various items. Sunday I will be presiding at St. Thomas in Rawlins in which the church will be launching their “Blessing Bundles” and perhaps do a house blessing in Rawlins that afternoon.

Letter to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond - Oct 25 2009

Hello folks of Carbon County and beyond. How is life treating you these days? October strikes me as a month of transition from the activities of summer, playing, and warm days to activities of school, homecoming (more like reunions), longer nights, and colder days. It is a funny place to be where we are not in once place and yet we have not completely arrived in the other. Life as a way of carrying us forward, sometimes this happens on our own effort and other times it is done by the effort of God; and there are times when we all work with God. I hope this letter finds you well.

It has been a busy week of travel (more than usual) starting last Monday I drove to Little Snake River Valley (Baggs, Dixon, and Savory) for the Fall Café Bible Study in which the group from St. Paul’s has gathered faithfully for a couple of years to read the bible one book and one chapter at a time. The group likes to cover about 10 chapters every two weeks and they are about ready to wrap-up the book of Job. I also noted with delight that the readings that we hear on Sundays in church for the past couple of weeks have been coming from the book of Job. What timing!

Tuesday was a day to get most of my administrative tasks taken care of and boy was my list long. I did manage to write a chapter report, a contribution to the printed eSpirit about Region 4, and submit an article for St. Thomas’ Livingstones (their monthly news letter). I also set up a web/phone meeting for the Apostolic Teams for both Regions 4 & 5 for this up-coming Monday. That does not include all the other activities such as making phone calls and running about in town.

Wednesday and Thursday I was in Thomas the Apostle Center in Cody for the Ministry Developer’s face to face meeting. We took most of our time together to discuss and discern what we will be doing for the next nine months and beyond. We too are aware of the changing of leadership and the effects it has with the congregations that we work with. We also shared what is taking place both in our professional and personal lives. Meeting in Cody is a blessing.

Friday I caught up on some phone calls and mostly took a half day off. Saturday was another full day with St. Thomas. I met with the Worship Team to plan the services for the month of November and finalize Christmas Eve services. St. Thomas also will be having a baptism at the end of the month because it was a good time for the greater family to participate. At 1pm I was once again at St. Thomas with my girls to help put together “Bundle Blessings” which are bundles of a couple of items that will be given to children who are placed in foster care homes. Following that activity my girls received some Acolyte training. It was a full Saturday.

Sunday I was in Medicine Bow to preside and to facilitate a discussion of Wade in the Water following the service. One of the members of the church really wanted to host a lunch at her house and so after the conclusion of the service we re-assembled at Lillian’s house, had lunch and watched Wade in the Water that talked about moving the furniture. It was a good time to check in and fellowship.

The up-coming week looks like this – Monday I will be in Laramie to work on my personal project and be back in Rawlins in time for the joint Apostolic Team meeting for Regions 4 & 5 that starts at six pm. Tuesday I will be in Saratoga to help with a preaching discernment process. Wednesday my day starts with a web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers at 8am then I will be hosting office hours at Kraft Hall from 10am to 12pm. That evening starting at 5:30pm I will be on a web/phone meeting with the Regional Reps and Ministry Developers for an hour and then getting on another web/phone meeting with the Evangelism team starting at 7pm. Thursday I will be meeting with Karen Buckingham to review where she is on the check list for those in process for the priesthood with another meeting with Karen to debrief from her first retreat where she is learning about Family Systems. Friday I will be on the road to Denver (kind of a day off). Saturday is Halloween and I hope everybody gets a treat! Sunday I will be at St. Paul’s in Dixon to preside with at Ministry Support Team meeting following the service.

Just Because

This is an interesting and fun way to use web-cams! Have fun with it. As you watch it check out the action in the background.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond - October 11, 2009

October 11, 2009

Hello fine folks of Wyoming. It sure looks like winter is upon us (roads were closed on Saturday and off and on for Sunday). Now I say it looks like winter is ALMOST upon us because next week it the weather will return to seasonal normal patterns (temps in the 40s and 50s). I had a thought; do church seasons also operate the same way (moving from one state of condition to another)? I don’t know food for thought! Looking around the county this is what I am seeing – St. Thomas had hosted a brunch that was put on by the Choir Loft and they received a report from Gerry back from the Convention about what others did with the Mustard Seed Projects; St. Paul showed some flexibility in regards to their bishop’s visit and made some quick changes and is going to reschedule their visit for another date; St. Luke’s had a Sunday with the Methodist Church (I hope Rev Gary made it from Laramie); St. James is getting ready for their bishop visit next Sunday. I hope this letter finds you well.

Last Monday (October 5^th) was a full day. It started at St. Thomas in Rawlins for the Gospel study and reflection. It is good time to listen to the concerns and hopes for St. Thomas. The group is faithful in their meeting and it helps to hear what is going on. It is also a good time to challenge myself in my own work with St. Thomas. That afternoon I arrived in LSRV (Little Snake River Valley) for another bible reflection time. This group is going through the bible one chapter at a time and we are currently reading the book of Job. We came across the same passage that is read at funerals and for a while we were listening to different versions of the bible and most of us decided to stick with what is written in the Book of Common Prayer and quite possibility the King James.

Tuesday (October 6^th) I drove to Saratoga and listened in on a sermon preaching group for Ralph Hicks. The conversation that we had is going with depth. Ralph is going through the study questions in the study guide and sharing his responses with the group. Ralph has entered this process with a discerning heart and mind, and so has the group. Ray Grieb even made it over from Elk Mountain to participate. We are moving quite nicely through the process.

Wednesday (October 7^th) I was on the weekly web/phone call with the Ministry Developers. We continue to become more familiar with the use of this technology and in doing so I assisted one member through the use of a “soft phone.” We debriefed from the Convention and started to plan for our face to face meeting in Cody next week.

Thursday (October 8^th) was an “administrative day” in which I was able to write my sermon, put together a vestry report for St. Thomas and assemble a liturgy for a brief closure service that will be held next week in Rawlins. The “to do list” was long, yet I was able to accomplish everything I wanted that day.

Friday (October 9^th) I spent most of the day in Laramie. I have picked up a tool for community building called relational meetings. These meetings are designed to discover personal passions and to get to know others at a deeper level. So, I had a meeting with a member of St. Luke’s last Friday. I pleasantly discovered that this person has been in the midst of Baptismal/Mutual/Shared Ministry most of his adult life with the Church and he still finds himself working with those churches that are the fringe of the larger church. What a discovery. Working with small groups of people is this person’s natural inclination. Good to have this person around! That afternoon I met with Pat and we are starting to gather names of people who we want to invite to develop programming for the next year at Wyoming Wilderness Camp.

OK now for the up-coming week – October 12-18^th. Monday I will be at a Gospel Reflection and a private memorial service at St. Thomas in Rawlins. Tuesday looks like an administrative day. Wednesday is the weekly web/phone meeting with the Ministry Developers. Thursday I will be meeting with Karen (St. Thomas) and attending St. Thomas’ vestry meeting that evening. Saturday I will be heading to Encampment to have dinner with the Bishop and then head to Rock Springs to spend the night. Why Rock Springs on Saturday night? The next day (Sunday) I will be presiding at three services starting at Fort Bridger at 9am, the second service in Green River with Wade in the Water Session 1 following the service. The third service will be in Dixon starting at 5pm. It is going to be a full day of worship and travel!