Letters to the Churches of Carbon County - August 23, 2009

August 23, 2009

Oh the lazy days of August summer! I think it is starting to act like summer around Carbon County, but don’t get your hopes up too high. School will be starting soon and that sounds like more like fall than summer. Looking around the area this is what is taking place – St. Thomas is plugging along, nothing to report other than I have been seeing members of St. Thomas out and about throughout the County; St. James is steady as she goes; St. Paul has a full week coming up with Summer Café (bible reflection) and Compline and Thanksgiving Service; I have spent some time this week working with St. Luke as we planned and hosted a funeral. I hope this letter finds you well.

This past Tuesday spent some time working on my contribution to the Evangelism project that Kathy Robinson has been leading. My specific task was to create bookmarks that could be handed to people throughout the Diocese. Kathy was happy with my work it is nice to learn a bit more about how to use Microsoft Word in new ways. I also worked on setting out a joint Apostolic Team meeting between Regions 4 & 5 that is scheduled for August 31, 2009. We will be using WebEx and I am becoming more familiar with how to make it work for our communication purposes. I am also planning on working with Andy to fine tune the process!

Wednesday the ministry developers had a limited amount of people on the weekly web/phone check in due to vacations and other activities. Those who did get on the call we had a chance to learn more about using WebEx by experimenting with different commands and choices that are offered. We try this and that and even those who are not completely comfortable with technology got in on the action and had some fun playing around. That afternoon I up-dated the Wyoming Wilderness Blog site and I can tell you Pat has been one busy dude this summer! That evening I met with the family of (Frank) Les Chessbrough from Medicine Bow. Les was 97 years old at the time of his death. The family lives in Rawlins, but they wanted to have the memorial service in Medicine Bow.

Thursday I traveled to Green River (St. John’s) for their final Wade in the Water Session. We had a good discussion. One question that was asked was what did you learn and one person noted that she always saw baptism was a means to staying out of the place that nobody wanted to go; but now she sees baptism as an invitation into ministry. What a moment of transformation. Green River is now looking at ways of presenting Wade in the Water to the entire congregation and I like their ideas! I will let you know how that turns out.

Friday I talked to Linda Wilson about what has been taking place in Green River and their plans to present Wade in the Water. That afternoon I caught up with Arlen in Laramie to plan a funeral for (Frank) Les Cheesebrough. Arlen worked on the printing out the service bulletin and I worked on writing the homily. On Saturday I traveled to Medicine Bow for the service itself.

Sunday I returned to Medicine Bow for the church service. I noted laughter and some great singing. Jane Ross came to us from Texas and is a great singer. She sang a couple of songs (sequence and offertory) and it was a blessing to hear her voice. During the Wade in the Water discussion we discovered that we had 7 out of 8 people active in the service ranging from reading, preaching, presiding, playing music, and singing. What a level of participation!

The up-coming week looks like this – Monday is an administrative day in which I am planning on making phone calls, writing a contribution to a newsletter and the like. Tuesday Andy and I will be playing around with WebEx and increasing our ability to use this platform for our communication purposes. That afternoon I will meet with a group of people in Saratoga to start the process of licensing a local preacher. Wednesday the ministry developers will be back in the saddle as we meet again for our weekly web/phone meeting. Thursday I meet with Karen during office hours at Kraft Hall in Rawlins. That afternoon I will be heading to LSRV (Little Snake River Valley) for a compline and thanksgiving service. Sunday I will be at Fort Bridger and Green River to preside.

Be well my friends.

Doug