Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

I was talking to a friend on Sunday afternoon and I said, “Easter is right around the corner. It is snowing and raining.” You can almost smell it. For us Episcopalians we have this season called Lent that is closing fast. Everything is being set up for a resurrection experience which is similar to seeing the world with new eyes, to hear what is being said with new ears, to embrace the unknown with enthusiasm and a sense of wonder. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. Paul's (Dixon): I headed toward the town of Dixon last Monday (Valentine's Day) for the Winter Bible Cafe that is held ever two weeks. It was a good time to catch up with a parishioner and strong leader of St. Paul's who was gone for a couple of weeks playing in the ocean. I was also informed that there will be a trip to see the Sandhill Crane Migration in Nebraska this year and those dates are March 11th through the 13th with an alternative date of March 25th through the 27th Linda Fleming will be leading the group. What a great way to see God's creation in action. If you want more information please contact me and I will forward you Linda's information. I was at St. Paul's this Sunday to preach and preside. St. Paul is still having “church in the round” and we doubled our attendance this Sunday. St. Paul continues to be blessed with children and they were most helpful in getting additional chairs set up before church. St. Paul's had their monthly Ministry Support Team meeting following the service and this group has some exciting things lined up for the next couple of months.

St. James (Encampment): The best news is that one of the parishioners at St. James is in full recovery from a fall that happened about a month ago. I am pleased to see God working wonders of healing for this wonderful person. I am also pleased to report that one of the youth of Encampment will be attending this years YES! Ski Camp. It is good to see St. James being active beyond it town limits and making its presence known beyond Encampment.

St. Luke's (Medicine Bow): I have been talking to Arlen about his preaching license preparation and we are making head way in that area. I have also received a report that all their year end paperwork is in order and being sent to the Diocesan office. This week was the Methodist Church's turn and so everybody headed over there. I will not be with St. Luke's next week because I am one of the chaperons for the YES! Ski Camp. Have a good time.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): I continue to meet with the Gospel Study group every Tuesday at 9am. Following the Gospel Study I spent about two hours over a cup of coffee with Karen. It was a good visit and clearing of misunderstandings and sharing of hopes for the future. Wednesday I was at Kraft Hall and made a couple of phone calls. I will be spending a couple of hours with the Senior Warden next week as I share with her the DiSC(c) profile that she took. I have big expectations for St. Thomas along with all the churches of Carbon County.

What is coming up? First on Monday I have my weekly WebEx meeting with the Ministry Developers and then I have a couple of appointments and meeting with people from both St. James and St. Thomas. Tuesday I meet with the Gospel Study group of St. Thomas and then I will meet with Rebekah Simon-Peter to work on continued professional development on presentation of the DiSC(c) material. Wednesday is office hours at Kraft Hall from 10am to 12pm with a WebEx meeting with the Evangelism team at 2 pm. That evening I will be meeting with a couple to continue with their marriage counseling sessions (it is tune-up work). Thursday is a professional development day and pack for the YES Ski Camp that starts on Friday and goes through Sunday. Have a great week.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County and Beyond

Coming off a short, yet full week. I stayed close to Rawlins during the later half of the week and so this will be an up-date on what took place since Thursday. Before I get onto what happened I want to share a bit about what is taking place in my personal life. Some people had called me last week noting there was a difference in the tone of my letter, up-beat, energetic, and a bit mysterious. There is a quote that best describes what I am experiencing, “Everybody thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” - Leo Tolstoy. I have committed to myself to live a life of abundance of love, compassion and forgiveness. Everything I do is drawn into that possibility. I told the Bishop of Wyoming that I am playing big game now. I want the Episcopal Church to matter to people. As I shared my ideas and excitement and find myself saying things and believing in such a large picture that at times I get overwhelmed and yet I am excited about what is coming next. As I shared with a friend my vision for the church he pointed out that vision is big and there will be resistance. I laughed and said well there was another person who went big and they killed him, and yet we still talk about him which is remarkable given he didn't write a single word. Now I am not proposing that I can be that big, but I am proposing that I am aiming that large. Ok on to the news since Thursday. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): As I met with the vestry on Thursday night I thought we had planned the weekend well that would give the Bishop some time to enjoy himself around Rawlins. Looking back St. Thomas struck a nice balance with the activities that were not rushed. Friday night the Bishop took the Rev. Karen Buckingham and her spouse out to a nice dinner and met with Karen on Saturday morning. After Karen's visit I had a chance to catch-up and share what is taking place in Rawlins and some of my plans. Following those two visits there was a nice lunch in which St. Thomas had a salad by committee. After that Bishop Smylie visited with a long time member of two congregations in Carbon County at the nursing home. I didn't attend the vestry meeting with the Bishop, but I hear words like “productive”, “informative” and “useful” were used to describe their time together. The dinner had kids running about and peaceful laughter was heard throughout the undercroft. The next day St. Thomas welcomed three new young and soon to be driving adults as they reaffirmed their Baptismal Covenant. There is a real sense of God working powerfully and intentionally. People at St. Thomas have worked hard to this point I believe they will need to buckle their seat belts because something powerful is coming their way.

St. Luke's (Medicine Bow): I received word that St. Luke had church today and the warmer weather made travel a bit of a challenge for the Rounds. The nice thing about having church was one of the parishioners had a reason to leave her house, the first time in two weeks, to attend church. Another parishioner arrived just in time to shovel the walks and clear it from snow. He was a bit tired because he was out all night fighting a train fire. I also received information that the misunderstanding around the assessment will be taken care in due order and everything will be back on track starting in February. It is starting to sound like February and March in Wyoming.

St. Paul's (Dixon): It is my understanding that the Winter Bible Cafe is scheduled for this Monday and I am planning on attending. That is all for the past couple of days.


St. James (Encampment): They have completed the COM grant and it will be submitted by Monday to the Diocesan Office. Other than that there is not much to report. Again it was a short week.

What is coming up? Monday I am on the weekly WebEx meeting with the Ministry Developers and that afternoon I head to St. Paul's for the Winter Bible Cafe. Tuesday is Gospel Study at Kraft Hall in Rawlins starting a 9 am for an hour and then Karen and I are going for coffee. Wednesday I have a WebEx meeting with the Ministry Developers and the Bishop and office hours at Kraft Hall starting from 10 am to 12 pm. Thursday from 8 am to 9:30 am I will be in a DiSC and Discipleship training for professional development and could be doing a ride along with the Rev. Tristan English as he comes through to Rock Springs to setup the VTC equipment at that site. Friday is sermon writing day and planning with the Rev. Tom Fiske on Safeguarding God's Children/People. Saturday there is a Worship Breakfast for St. Thomas starting at 8:30 am and we are meeting at McDonalds. Sunday I will be preaching and presiding at St. Paul's in Dixon following the service a Ministry Support Team meeting and then off to lunch at the senior center.

Letters to the Churches of Carbon County

Somehow this week has gotten beyond me and I am still able to catch up. Events in my life are unfolding in new and dynamic ways. I have come to realize that I have lived a life of sacristy which is beyond money or resources, which includes sacristy in relationships. Because of this Epiphany moment in my life, everything I now encounter has a different flavor and understanding. I have being pulled toward a new world of abundance of love, compassion, and forgiveness. I am drawn to see the impossible dreams as an attractive way of living. I realize that making a statement about abundance will lead to moments of frustration, resistance, and relationships and actions that will be stopped either by myself, others, or both. Yet I am committed to play big game and to go all out knowing if I chose to retreat, outcomes of “less than” are guaranteed. Ok, on to the events of Carbon County. I hope this letter finds you well.

St. James (Encampment): The weather slowed me down when I drove to Encampment. Nevertheless everybody arrived at the Johnson's household for a joint church service and annual meeting. The house was warm and following the service what started as one which later became two members of the congregation joined with me for a visit with a shut-in. The woman that we visited with is in her nineties and has a strong understanding of the current events of the church and the world around her. She was invited to consider being the secretary/treasure of the church, which she laughed and respectfully declined. The annual meeting went well. St. James has agreed to have a training that uses the DiSC(c) Biblical Personal Profile System as a congregational development event. This is the first that I have heard of DiSC(c) training to be used in this context in the Diocese of Wyoming. I believe that this will open up new ways of understanding and working together for years to come for St. James. For the members of St. James, I miss spoke about my service time at St. Paul's it was 3 pm and not 2 pm.

St. Paul's (Dixon): Last Sunday evening I arrived a few minutes late and they were quite gracious. This group of people are adaptable to changes that they face and so they chose to meet in the parish hall around the piano to increase fellowship and the budget. It was nice as my girls played within sight as we listened to God, and shared the Great Thanksgiving. The transition from worship to coffee was seamless. They are a group of people who demonstrate both stability and growth with grace. I have big aspirations for this church. I was to meet with them on Monday (Feb 7th) but I received a call that morning saying that the weather and driving conditions are a hazard and we should plan to meet for the Winter Bible Cafe at another date. Good idea.

St. Thomas (Rawlins): Last Saturday I met for a hour with the two licensing lay preachers as we continue to prepare to re-license in 2011. The St. Thomas leadership are busy planning for the Bishop Visit this weekend. A Confirmation service is planned and the entire service is printed out and ready to go. Plans are also being firmed up about other details about the weekend. I am anticipating a wonderful and insightful visit with Bishop John Smylie as he continues to learn and become more familiar with his leadership in the Diocese of Wyoming. The Gospel Study group meeting last Tuesday was lively and engaging. I have found this to be a place of inspiration and a testing ground for new ideas and thoughts. Like I said events and new ideas and dreams are unfolding right before my eyes. The church also received news about Louis W. Engstrom death and they will be hosting his funeral on Thursday Feb 10, 2011.

St. Luke (Medicine Bow): One of the members of the church had a scare with food born illness. He is recovering, but it is not fun to go through that. The monthly newsletter was sent out bringing others up to speed and they too noted that they will be seeing the Bishop soon. That is all that I have to report from them for this week.

Ministry Developers: While I was writing this up-date I received news from the Diocesan office that the Ministry Developers will be increasing their numbers by one with the Rev. Kay Rohde, who is currently serving as the interim at St. Mark's in Casper, will be soon working with the churches in the northern area of Region 3 (Christ Church in Douglas; St. Stephens in Casper; and All Souls in Kaycee). I also met briefly last week with the Rev. Jess Smith as the visioning team of the Diocese continues to work on their charge to vision what the future may look like. As a member of the Diocese I look forward to having more conversation about this very idea so that we are all participating in creating our new future. What an empowering action.

What is coming up? As you can see this is a short week because now it is Thursday. The big event for me is the Bishop Visit at St. Thomas in Rawlins. I am also working with St. James (Encampment) to prepare a continuing education grant. I am also working with the Rev. Tom Fiske as we work on moving forward with Safe Guarding God's Children/People training for the Diocese. As I noted earlier I will be attending Louis W. Engstrom funeral at 1:30 pm on Thursday and that evening attend the vestry meeting at St Thomas. Then I will be available to assist in any way possible for the Bishop Visit.

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.