Posts from 2013 (Page 16)
Lenten Reflection: Desire
God is in our desire, behind our desire, before our desire, beyond our desire. God is using this potent, sometimes gnawing gift of desire – which springs from God’s own heart – to lead us, like with bread crumbs, to a door which we might not have otherwise chosen or even recognized in this life. Inside that door is home. – Br. Curtis Almquist Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here…
Congregations start from nothing
How do you create sustainable projects/communities when you have nothing to start with? Read what Jonny Baker has to say about Becky Garrison’s book Starting from Zero with $0.
Congregations partnering with ECBF
A group of Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth congregations will be partnering with the Episcopal Church Building Fund (ECBF) in the coming year, participating in the Recasting of Building Assets process. The project focuses on congregations who wish to deepen their connection to their community and to build mission and value, as well as develop financial self-sustainability through the creative use of building assets.
Thriving in Change offers discernment opportunity
Is your congregation wrestling with an issue, trying to make a decision? Bring a group to Advent Lutheran on Saturday, April 6, to learn a practice that will help your members communicate more effectively while listening for God and each other.
Transitions can be exciting and life-giving
Joseph Duggan, an Episcopal priest and fellow of the Episcopal Church Foundation, has created a Facebook page, “Congregational Seasons: A Resource for Transitions,” dedicated to supporting congregations in transition through resources, networking and best practices. It celebrates creative people around The Episcopal Church who have the vision and resources to assist congregations towards becoming vital and viable.
Lenten Reflection: Love
Humble self-knowledge means seeing ourselves and others as God sees us. True humility delights in learning to love ourselves and others as God loves us. – Br. Jonathan Maury Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here to view: http://youtu.be/9-lU7kRm75U Question for Reflection: Can you trust that God not only loves, but also likes you? All of you? Comments: We welcome your comments on this video series. Click here to share thoughts.…
Lenten Reflection: Look
When we gaze at something, whether it be a window or the moon, at the face of a loved one or a mystery not completely understood we do so filled with hope, with wonder, with expectation, with love. When we gaze at someone or something, anything is possible and we are drawn out of ourselves and into the mystery of what might be. – Br. James Koester Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not…
Lenten Reflection: Listen
If God seems distant or uncommunicative these days, maybe you’re simply not listening. God doesn’t shout: God’s first language is silence. Maybe in your prayers you are doing too much talking and not enough listening. – Br. Geoffrey Tristram Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here to view: http://youtu.be/agFDv9lgjN4 Question for Reflection: Do you listen enough in prayer? Comments: We welcome your comments on this video series. Click here to share…
Lenten Reflection: Distraction
Life is inevitably full of movement, and we know that Jesus was often on the go. He says more than once to his followers, “Come, follow me.” He sends his followers out: “Go into all the world.” He talks about laboring and sowing and harvesting. And yet Jesus also talks about being. Simply being is what can be so elusive and so lost. “Abide with me,” we hear Jesus saying.” “Stay with me,” he says. – Br. Curtis Almquist Society…
Lenten Reflection: Scripture
Once a week take time to pray with scripture. Robert Wicks, a leading psychotherapist and spiritual director, recommends lectio divina, the method of reading over a passage of scripture a few times until a word or phrase seems to lift up, then “chewing on it” until a door opens for conversation with God. – Br. Eldridge Pendleton Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here to view: http://youtu.be/gMy2Tf-zfOc Question for Reflection: Will…
Schedule for Leadership Workshop on March 2, 2013
The detailed schedule of workshop sessions is: 9:30 – 10:00 Gathering 10:00 – 10:15 Opening 10:15 – 10:45 Plenary – Bishop Rayford High 11:00 – 12:15 First session – choose one Stewardship – Bishop Rayford High Money 101 – Internal controls, budgeting – David Lowder Database CAN Be Fun! Connecting with ACS – Christopher Thomas & Eleanor Doty Why do we want by-laws? – Kathleen Wells 12:30 – 1:15 Lunch, with moderated conversations: Cursillo, Stewardship Nuts & Bolts, Meeting Guidelines, InReach,…
Lenten Reflection: Collaboration
There is a growing desire to collaborate in works of justice and compassion. A growing concern for the whole. We’ve gone far beyond “what must I do to be saved?”—which is well and good—to “how can we work with God to establish the Kingdom on earth?” – Br. Mark Brown Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here to view: http://youtu.be/oI1qjtQVfU4 Question for Reflection: Might your concerns hold an invitation to collaborate…
Lenten Reflection: Place
Presume that God’s revelation is happening all along the way, not just in “sacred” moments but in every moment, every day. Practice attentiveness. Saint Columba said, “God is everywhere in his immensity, and everywhere close at hand.” – Br. Curtis Almquist Society of Saint John the Evangelist To Read More, Click Here Video not displaying? Click here to view: http://youtu.be/4PVYN3Yr19E Question for Reflection: What places, indoors or outdoors, do you feel nearest to God? Comments: We welcome your comments on this…
Report from Diocesan Altar Guild February 2013 Meeting
The 5th annual Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth altar guild meeting was held at St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church on Saturday, February 23, 2013 with approximately 50 participants. Seven churches in the diocese were represented: St. Luke’s in the Meadow – Fort Worth, St. Luke – Stephenville, Trinity – Fort Worth, Christ the King – Fort Worth, St. Alban’s – Arlington, St. Christopher -Fort Worth, and St. Martin-in-the-Fields – Keller. Altar guild members worshiped together in St. Martin’s sanctuary. They altar guild…
Ecumenical Seminar on the Church of the 21st Century at Brite Divinity
What will the Church of the 21st Century be like? That’s the question that’s on everyone’s mind, plate, planning committee, budget projection, etc. We know things are changing in our parishes and congregations, but we seem to be standing on the brink of something so new that we can’t quite get a firm grasp on it. All of us in every denomination are talking about this shift. So let’s talk about it together! The Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, a speaker, writer, and broadcaster will be featured. Read the detailed announcement…
Episcopal Youth Event 2014 to be held July 9-13 in Pennsylvania
[The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs, February 26, 2013] Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori announced that the popular Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) will be held July 9-13, 2014 in the Philadelphia area in partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. Read the full media release from the Episcopal Church.