Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Five Sundays this month and this final Sunday of this month was a good one. I am simply amazed on how much takes place in a week throughout Carbon County and I am looking forward to catching everybody up in a moment. The Facebook (a popular social web-site) has shown a couple of pictures from those who clergy who have traveled to the Holy Lands. Getting there was a trial in patience, yet they are well within their groove. I am praying that their trip back will be uneventful (now that I have said that we will see if God has a sense of humor). Ok, back to more local events. I hope this letter finds you well.

St Paul's (LSRV): I arrived in Baggs last Monday and caught up with Linda Fleming for a bit. We talked about what is coming on with the COM and prepared briefly for the Annual Meeting that took place that afternoon. Prior to the Annual meeting I got to spend some time with the regular group who meets every two weeks to read the bible and we are still in Isiah. They have slowed down in how fast they cover the material, nevertheless the food and fellowship remains strong. At the Annual meeting the congregation covered what they have worked on the past year and looking forward to the coming year. We have scheduled some goals – licensing of Eucharistic Visitors and Worship Leaders along with reviewing the preaching licensing requirements. The big part of what will be taking place is the on-going preparation for Linda Fleming to enter the priesthood. Linda and I did discuss briefly ideas for outreach and we have some great ideas cooking starting on March 17, 2011. This Sunday St. Paul had “church in the round”. Which means that we gathered around the piano in the parish hall to keep the heating expenses down and to increase the fellowship among members. It was good time to be had by all.

St. Luke (Medicine Bow): Not much to report at this time. I am working with Arlen to being his preaching licensing/discernment work. It was the fifth Sunday of the month but not church services where scheduled. They do pretty good hanging in there and going with the flow.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): Last Wednesday I was scheduled for office hours, however I chose to stick at home. I was available for any questions and worked on sending my weekly dates and preparation for a marriage counseling session that evening at the church. I have been working on helping two people who have been called to preach on their preparation for licensing and we have a meeting schedule this up-coming Saturday to check in. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that St. Thomas was given some national attention on a blog-site in regards to Rhythms of Grace. Good work St. Thomas!

St. James (Encampment): I received a call from one of the parishioners yesterday asking if they were to expect any clergy this Sunday. I said no, but I will be there next week and St. James will have their Annual Meeting then. I was also invited to visit another parishioner who had a bad fall a couple of weeks ago and is slowly recovering. I have been hearing reports that another Episcopal Church has been visiting and providing support for the one on the mend. It is great to be a member of church that knows no bounds of love and compassion.

Ministry Developer: I have been working on goals and professional development this week. I have listed some of my goals with my work with the churches of Carbon County and will be sharing them with everybody shortly. I have also started a series of teleconferencing training called DiSC and Discipleship which has been very fruitful in thought. I am also working with the Rev. Jess Smith in hosting a WebEx meeting for the Visioning for the Diocesan Convention in September/October of 2011.

What is coming up: Monday I have a WebEx meeting with the Ministry Developers starting at 8:30 am for an hour. Tuesday I attend the weekly Gospel Study at Kraft Hall starting at 9 am and all are welcome to come if they like. Wednesday is office hours at Kraft Hall from 10 am to 12 pm. Thursday is another WebEx meeting with the Rev. Jess Smith and those who have been invited to assist him in the Visioning work of 2011. Saturday I meet with the two people who are getting licensed at St. Thomas at the church at 10 am. Sunday I have two church services with the first one at St. James in Encampment with their annual meeting following the service. The second church service is St. Paul's in Dixon and that service begins at 3pm.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Hello folks. It seems like almost two weeks since I last wrote. Much has taken place in my world and before I get to that I want to ask that people pray for the ordained leadership of the Diocese of Wyoming as they travel to the Holy Lands for ten days. I hope and expect that the entire experience will change their lives and they return as a cohesive group of people working for the building of God's kingdom right here in Wyoming. I am looking forward to hearing what has been discovered and what will be revealed in the future. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. Luke's (Medicine Bow): I have some great news to report. A couple of weeks ago I heard that the longest standing member of the church spent Christmas with her kids and I was afraid that she would not be back until Spring. As it turned out she returned a couple of weeks ago and is back in the saddle. This Sunday I asked my girls if they wanted to go to church and both of the older girls jumped to the opportunity. When I arrived there was another surprise waiting for me, sound equipment. As it turns out there is a couple who loves to sing. Several years ago I led the congregation through a workshop called “Night to Remember” and one of the aspects that was uncovered was that St. Luke's deeply appreciates and desires singing. It took a couple of years but that dream has begun to be recognized. It is a bit different from what most people come to expect in an Episcopal Church, nevertheless the people in the congregation enjoy the singing and it does provide a platform for this couple to express their gift and desire to sing. We had ten people in church on Sunday. There is something going on in that little town of Medicine Bow.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): As it turns out I spent Thursday with St. Thomas as the Ministry Support Team met prior to the vestry meeting. The Ministry Support Team reviewed the different activities that are coming up mostly focusing on the Bishop Visit. The service bulletin is mostly complete and it is waiting for (a) the music and (b) for the final review and approval of all the parties. The vestry meeting that followed was productive as they are starting to plan to host their annual meeting and Bishop Visit. St. Thomas is facing a great challenge as they move forward to recognizing a BIG dream in installing a lift to increase handicap accessibility for the building along with a bathroom that is designed for wheelchairs. I do believe they are up for the task. This Sunday at 1pm St. Thomas launched “Rhythms of Grace” which is a worship experience that is designed for families of children of special needs. Don't let that description scare you because it explains the Episcopal Liturgy in such a way that all people can participate and join in. Today the participants learned about Jesus' Baptism by stepping into the River Jordan to hear the story and then practice a baptism with dolls. At the next baptism they will have a better understanding of what is taking place. It was fun to listen to the kids laugh and have a good time.

St. Paul's (Dixon): I arrived last Monday to visit with the bi-monthly bible cafe. They are working through the bible on book and chapter at a time and they are in Isaiah and starting on the 44^th chapter. The material that was covered was from the more familiar passages like - “Even the youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the LORD shall be renew their strength, they shall be mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” - Isaiah 40:30-31. That is a nice image going into the annual meeting that is coming up this Monday. Linda is working hard in getting all her paperwork in order so that a Community Interview can take place and finally visit with the Bishop to complete her first major part in her path to the priesthood.

St. James (Encampment): The last time I spoke to this congregation there was some real concern about when the Bishop Visit was scheduled. It was during Father's Day weekend and it turns out that most of the leadership had places for other community events on that same weekend. Yet, with the spirit of cooperation, creativity and flexibility a plan was worked out in a win/win situation. That is St. James with a can do attitude!

What is coming up? Keep in mind that I am on call this week for the Rawlins Police Department as the chaplain (smile). Monday – WebEx meeting with the Ministry Developers @ 8:30 am. Then I head to St. Paul's for the Winter Bible Cafe @ 2pm and the Annual Meeting @ 5pm. Tuesday I will participate in the Gospel Study at Kraft Hall (Rawlins) @ 9am and all are welcome to attend. Wednesday I will have office hours at Kraft Hall (Rawlins) @ 10 am to 12 pm. I will be also hosting a marriage counseling session that evening at St. Thomas starting @ 6pm. Thursday and Friday are set aside for sermon writing day, administrative activities and professional development. Sunday I will be heading to St. Paul's for a “make up” service for missing them a couple of weeks ago. It is all part of the plan. Take Care.

Letters to the Churches and Beyond

Ok folks this is going to be short on current events and long on professional and personal development. The last time I wrote it was Wednesday and not much has taken place, nevertheless I will share what has happened since then. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): Yesterday (Saturday) I attended the monthly worship planning breakfast. The primary topic of discussion was the Bishop visit that will include confirmation service. I was asked to look into who and what the role of the Bishop Chaplain will be. It was decided that a full printed out service booklet is in order and Karen and I will work on putting that together and others will proofread it.

St. Paul (Dixon): Like I originally referred not much to report; however there was a request on receiving some basic instruction about the Episcopal Church and so I got in contact with Linda to work on looking at ways to honor that request. Linda also told me that she was in attendance to the Wyoming Churches Association Immigration presentation in Cheyenne this past Saturday.

St. Luke's (Medicine Bow): I found out that church was canceled today. I also discovered that the church sanctuary was cleaned up and all the Christmas was put away. We will see what the new year has in store for this group.

St. James (Encampment) I saved the most for the last. I arrived at the church this morning and made two attempts to park in the parking lot in proper fashion. I gave up and parked in the middle of the entrance slightly stuck in a drift. I was not worried because I could move down hill. Before the service plans were made for the annual meeting and talked about talking to the Bishop's office about scheduling a visit during a different date. The current date will not work because most of the congregation has other commitments that weekend. After the service I joined with two other members of St. James for a Eucharist Visit (aka EV) with Julie who for her age is sharp and on top of what is taking place. In some ways she reminds me of Julia of Norwich as she can look out her window and see the church. All shall be well in Encampment!

Now what is coming up? Monday I will drive to Baggs for the bi-monthly Bible Cafe and to visit with the folks of the “valley.” Also the Ministry Developers will be having their weekly WebEx meeting starting at 8:30 am. Tuesday and Wednesday I will be receiving my DiSC training (professional development). What is DiSC? It is an effective (and well used tool) for communication and relationship building. Fortune 500 companies use this training with their administrative and sales forces. It is top notch stuff. I am looking forward to making this training available for the Diocese of Wyoming. Thursday I will be meeting with people from St. Thomas to assist on putting together the parochial report, then meet with their MST (Ministry Support Team) at 5:30 pm followed by their vestry report. Upon completion of those meetings I head for Denver for about 5 days for Landmark Form (personal development). Have a great week!

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

As it looks like 2011 has started with quite a bang! It is Wednesday and I have not slowed down long enough to catch my breath. I rather be a busy than board. As I crank-up for the coming year, I also would like to find balance. Here is a great quote that was in St. Paul's bulletin this past Sunday and I wanted to pass it along to others: “When the song of the angels is stilled, when the star in the sky is gone, when the kings and princes are home, when the shepherds are back with their flock, the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry, to release the prisoner, to rebuild the nations, to bring peace among the sisters and brothers, to make music in the heart.” - the Rev. Howard Thurman I have to add my own quote for the year - “Turn curses into blessings.” Will it happen? Not right away and not without some effort and sacrifice, but it will be worth the effort and if anything else it provides guidance and a great attitude for the work ahead. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. Paul's (Dixon/LRSV): It has been a sad and yet joyful time for the people of the Little Snake River Valley. They had three funerals in the past two weeks. The people who have died were known and respected members of the area and who had deep and long connections to the community. They will be missed. Time continues as the absence of these people will be filled with love and new leadership in the days, months and years to come. George, Claudia, and Judi you will be missed and we all will work hard to honor your life by living ours more to the fullest. On another front, Linda Fleming is progressing well through the first stages of her call to the priesthood and is getting all the “paperwork” in order. This is all positive news for St. Paul's. Last Sunday I arrived to preach and preside in the afternoon. I believe having the services moved from 5pm to 3pm is a benefit due to the fact the sun is still up and it is easier to travel in the daylight. The quote that I have in the beginning of this posting came from this church.

St. James (Encampment): Not much to report at this time which is all good news. I will be heading to spend some time with them on the up-coming Sunday. They are in a holding pattern until spring. That is when they can break ground and begin working on building their parish hall. I am sure there will be other details to address throughout the winter months and we will cross that bridge when we get to it.


St. Thomas (Rawlins): They keep plugging along. I joined a meeting last week to discuss ideas about how to move forward with the “life and handicap bathroom” project last week. They (as a community) are really close to completing a significant project. The leadership of the church have been working on making this dream a reality for about two years now. I was encouraged to see and experience the enthusiasm of this group. Last Sunday I presided and preached. The service went well and Kellie and I received our anniversary blessing. We are starting our 11th year as a married couple with 8 years spent in Carbon County. It is hard to imagine.

St. Luke's (Medicine Bow): There is not much to report this week. The good news is the Round's computer is back on-line and so the correspondence will be kicking up again. I have contacted Arlen and St. Matthews to start putting together a preaching discernment group to assist Arlen's efforts in being licensed to preach.



What is coming up? This past two days have been filled with travel (Monday – Baggs for a Memorial Service. Tuesday – meeting with clergy throughout this part of the state). Today I was in Kraft Hall to help St. Thomas organize their up-coming vestry meeting and preliminary Annual meeting for January. Tonight I will meet with a couple to continue with our marriage counseling (they got married by the Justice of the Peace) as they prepare to seek the church's blessing on their relationship. Thursday and Friday are sermon writing and administration days. Saturday I will be attending a worship leader breakfast at St. Thomas. Sunday I head to St. James to preach and preside starting at 9 am. Have a great (short) week.